Red String of Fate
by Whimsical Fool
Summary: Each day, Tsuna is faced with hesitation with facing her Guardians romantically. She knows that she will never end up with any of them but she still hopes for it. However, she is breaking deep inside. When it becomes too late, how will they react to her? Previously known as "The Red String of Fate Has Been Cut"
1. The Storm Silences Her Words

**DISCLAIMER**: Katekyo Hitman REBORN! belongs to Amano Akira. Any characters that are created by me will be notified and stated.

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><p>The Vongola subordinates quickly ushered themselves aside for their lovely boss and her rash Storm Guardian as they walked down the simple yet magnificent hallway. It was just amazing to see such a beautiful woman and the degree of her personality and history to ever step a foot into this horrendous field called the Mafia. She was considered the Vongola's gem, who had so much power in her hands and surprisingly did not abuse it. If she had wished it, then they would have obeyed her every command. She was that powerful. Her aura was so gentle, yet it held so much power, like that of a mother looking over her children.<p>

"Jyuudaime, please let me get the door for you." Gokudera hastily walked faster than his boss and turned the silver knob to her office. "After you." He bowed forward in respect as she walked past him and entered the room after her.

Tsuna smiled at her proclaimed right hand as she entered the room quietly like she always did. Fortunately, he did not see the bittersweet shine that glazed over her soft chocolate brown eyes when she walked past him. When she got to her desk, she noticed that there was less paperwork than usual to her relief but that did not mean she was relieved of her duties as a boss. "So, what must I owe this lack of paperwork for, Gokudera?"

Gokudera nodded at her question and took out the agenda that was hidden away in his pocket as well as his glasses. After he placed them on, he flipped through the pages to the current day, which he carefully announced what was the day's plans. "For today, there is nothing serious to do except to read over the paperwork and sign or nullify whichever one you find appropriate. They are stacked right in front of you on top of your desk. Later, in the afternoon, you have your meeting with Kozato. As for the rest of the day, you're free to do whatever you want until six o'clock. By then, you will have a briefing by Reborn and go with Yamamoto." After he was done, he closed the book in his hand and noticed that his boss was looking at him oddly. "Jyuudaime?"

Tsuna was in her little world by the time Gokudera opened that book. She was just amazed how those pair of glasses defined Gokudera's features even more; she was not saying that he was not handsome before. Ever since they were younger, she has always found him growing handsome by the day along with the rest of her Guardians with the exception of Chrome. Chrome was just becoming more beautiful. Ah, everyone around her was either beautiful or handsome, even Reborn returned to his adult form. She sighed. How was she ever going to compete with them…?

"Jyuudaime?"

Tsuna snapped out of her daze and realized how close Gokudera's face was to hers. "HIEEE!" She pushed back on her desk, forgetting that her chair was on wheels and accidentally fell off her chair and onto the ground, landing on her bottom. "Ow…." Her face expressed pain but her cheeks were slightly touched with a color of faint blush.

Gokudera rushed over to her side and quickly placed the chair in its former state but farther away just in case. He then bended down to her level, making sure she was alright. "I'm so sorry, Jyuudaime. I didn't think I would scare you that much. Are you alright?" He lent out hand to help her up, which she gladly accepted.

Tsuna remembered the first time something like this happened and Gokudera actually went ballistic since he thought someone rigged the chair and whipped out his dynamite, almost destroying her then new office back then. She laughed a bit, catching Gokudera's attention. "Thank you, Gokudera. I'm actually okay, but I guess Dame-Tsuna still exists." After she stood up, she noticed that Gokudera was looking at her with a confused face. "What is it? Is there something on my face?"

Gokudera shook his head and nervously chuckled. "No, it's just that… Ah, never mind. Anyway, what is that made you distracted?"

Tsuna blushed at the memory and was going to say it was nothing, but seeing that face on her Guardian made it really hard to. "Just thinking that I'm not as beautiful or handsome like everyone is around me." She let out a weak laugh.

Gokudera placed his hand on her head and patted her. "Jyuudaime, no one is more beautiful than you, I promise you that." He let out a chuckle as Tsuna smiled at his comment. "Well, I'll be going now. I'll be back to pick you up for the meeting with Kozato."

Tsuna smiled to herself, making her feel better, and then proceeded to her mahogany desk. "Thank you, Gokudera-kun." She was shuffling through the papers, so Gokudera took it a chance to leave. "But if you don't mind, then you stay with me…" But he was already out the door and gone from her sight.

She sighed as she placed herself into the chair and pulled near to her desk. She made a face as she grimaced at the stack of papers piled on her desk. Even if it was less, this was still a lot. Did she really have to do all of this…? Instead of doing it right away, she just spun in her chair, a bit more careful than usual due to her latest fall, curled up in a fetal position. "Why are guys so dense…?" She stopped spinning and placed the side of her head on her knees as she tugged at her caramel brown locks of hair. She let out a low growl of frustration and submitted to the ominous aura that was leaking off of the paperwork.

As each minute passed by, Tsuna could feel herself become more mentally tired. She groaned as the thought of love entered her mind once again. What was wrong with her? Why did she keep on beating around the bush with them? If a person had to think about, it was not that hard to figure out that she had fallen for them. They each saved her life many times. They each risked their lives for her. They were always there to make her smile, blush, and overall, make her day a bit more joyous.

Tsuna laughed as she felt her face reddening from her precious memories with them as well as tears forming and on verge of falling when she thought of them. A small weak smile formed on her lips soon as the tears trailed down her cheeks. She leaned back against her chair, letting the tears fall on their own while she kept her eyes closed. She already knew why she was hesitant. Why would people think of her if she had told them that they were not the only person she had fallen for? It was hard to choose "the one". No one was higher than the other. Sure, they were all different, but each held a special place in her heart. Immediately, a forbidden question swiftly entered her mind. What if she was not Vongola Decimo? What would have happened then? They would not have even noticed her if she walked past them in plain sight. That was the truth indeed.

Tsuna then quietly cried to herself as she finished the piles of paperwork, being careful not to stain them with her tears. After she was done, she patiently waited for Gokudera to come get her for her meeting with Enma. She quickly wiped her tears away with a tissue but could not get rid of the evidence of her crying. Unknown to her, someone was watching through the small crack in the door. The person could not believe that their boss was crying but was a bit more shocked that the boss had not notice their presence. They quickly went away when they realized that the Storm Guardian was getting closer.

Gokudera knocked on the door a couple of times, signaling his presence, before entering. "Jyuudaime, it's time for your meeting…" His words trailed off when he noticed that his beloved boss was crying. He could feel himself being filled with anger and murderous intent. "Jyuudaime, where's the bastard that made you cry? I'll blow him up for you." Instinctively, his dynamite was out in his hands and ready to be used at any given moment at their handler's command.

Tsuna softly laughed at Gokudera's reactions and cupped her cheek as she leaned on her arm for support on the table. "Even if you did that, you'll end up killing yourself, Gokudera. And I wouldn't want to lose you."

Gokudera hesitantly placed his dynamite where they belonged but gave his boss a confused look. "I didn't catch what you said, Jyuudaime."

Tsuna walked past him and patted him on the shoulder. "It's alright. You don't need to know." She walked to door and leaned against it while she waited for her Storm Guardian to snap out of his puzzlement. As they both walked down the hall to the meeting location, she was in deep in thought on whether she should go with her plan and say those words to him. It couldn't hurt, right? She needed to see how he would react and if his reaction was the one she wanted.

Once they reached the meeting room, Tsuna tried to mentally calm herself. It was now or never.

"We're here, Jyuudaime. I hope you have another enjoyable meeting." Gokudera smiled at her as he placed a hand on the door knob. He knew that his boss looked forward to these meetings with Shimon head. The two were close friends and neither would betray the other, especially after that event occurred. On the plus side, she always seemed to be energized after talking to the redhead.

"I love you, Hayato."

Gokudera blinked a couple times as he let go the door knob and looked at her. Suddenly, he took her by the wrist and led her away from the door and cornered her against the wall. His frame was above hers with his gaze directly at her eyes.

She was surprised to have his face so close to her, making her blush like a madman. Sadly, it could be seen underneath the poorly lit hallway. However, his next words directed at her made a part of her heart break into pieces. If one could hear it, it would have been like glass vase dropping from a second story balcony.

"Jyuudaime, please refrain from throwing that phrase around senselessly. I do not want people to misunderstand our relationship and might use that against you. Who knows what would have happened if people heard about this? It would ruin you and people will target me as a way to get you as your main weakness even though it's a fake one." His grip on her wrist tightened.

The color in her complexion was drained away but she placed a large smile on her face, shocking Gokudera a bit. "You pass, Gokudera." She gently took her wrist out of Gokudera's grasp as the warmth was taken away. Another piece within her broke.

Gokudera blinked a couple of times and looked at her blankly. He did not understand it. This was his boss, after all. Those words, especially in that phrase, are not supposed to be thrown around like that, unless… "Can you please repeat that?"

Tsuna had a slight hurt expression on her face but replaced it with a mocking pout. "Are you deaf, Gokudera? My test, I wanted to see how you would react under the certain conditions and you passed with flying colors. I'm so happy to know that I have such a Guardian that always looking out for their boss." Tsuna patted him on the shoulder and guided herself to the meeting room. "I'll see you around then." With a simple wave, her figure had gone behind the door.

Before the silver haired male could say anything, Tsuna was already gone from his sight. He could somewhat understand why she would say such words to him in order to test him, but he did not understand the way she looked at him expectedly when he looked down at her.

He rarely got so close to her and those were one of those times. Those eyes did not have gentle shine, but rather, something alluring like the soft smell that was coming off of her body… Gokudera blushed at the thought of his name being used like that and covered his face with his hand as he walked back to the library. Was he finally seeing his boss as a woman or something? He has always seen her as a woman, so why was he having these kinds of thoughts now? The blush spread to his ears, unknown to the fact that something was stirring within him.

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><p>Tsuna gently closed the door behind her and walked over to where Enma was, but on the opposite couch facing the armchair he was in. She laid down on the couch and cried into the pillow she randomly picked from the pile on the couch as she held it tightly in her arms. It hurt so much. She cried her feelings out into the pillow. She thought Gokudera had figured her out after all these years together. He was the closest one to her, being her right-hand man and all, knowing all her likes and dislikes, as well as her quirks. So why couldn't he see how she felt about him? If he had replied like she expected him to, then she could be done with it and live her life with Gokudera. But sadly, things do not always go her way. She knew that he saw her as a woman, but she was his boss, so it was likely that he never touched upon the subject of loving her since it would "taint" his vision of her.<p>

Enma got up from his chair and gently knelt down on one knee beside her, rubbing her back in circles to soothe her trembling.

"I-I'm sorry for coming in l-like this…"

"It's alright. I understand." Enma waited for her to calm down before taking the pillow away from her swollen crying face.

Tsuna looked at Enma and started crying again. Her hands were at her eyes, trying to get rid of the falling tears, hiding her face from Enma. "Why…? Why can't they see that I love them? Why do they always see me as Vongola Decimo or something, but not as Sawada Tsunayoshi?" She removed her hands from her face and looked at Enma. "Why are you the only one who see me as me?"

Gently, Enma helped Tsuna sit up on the couch as he sat next to her, lifting her chin to meet his crimson orbs. "It's alright to fall in love. There's nothing wrong with it. It's perfectly normal." He then leaned forward and took her hand. He allowed his face to be cupped her hand, his eyes filled with content as he looked at her warmly. "If I was them, I would be scared to fall for you, scared that you may have loved another. But as for me, I have already decided to fall for you." He looked at her with a warm smile.

"B-But… Doesn't it hurt to hear me say these things… about loving them…?" Tsuna was surprised to get another smile out of Enma.

"Tsuna, love works in mysterious ways. People may call indecisive for picking so many to love, but I find nothing wrong with that. That's who you are: the sky that has watched over them for years, so you know who they are. After all, you're always there for them as they for you. As for me, why wouldn't it hurt?"

He noticed the regretful look in her face, but instead of telling her that it was not her fault, he just wiped a tear from her eye.

"But I said that, you wouldn't let me near you since you would be scared to hurt me even more. Like I told you, I have already decided to fall for you. Even if you love someone else, I just want to be able to have a place by your side. You're someone I hold very precious to my heart and I don't think I can bear the pain of leaving you forever. Your happiness is enough for me." He then got off the couch and carefully laid her on her side, placing her head on a new pillow to rest on. He knelt down and kissed her forehead, seeing that she was tired. "Don't mind me, just sleep for now. I know that you're tired."

"T-Thank you for telling me how you feel."

Enma smiled and combed his fingers through her locks as she wandered in and out of sleep. "I would have told you sooner or later. I guessed not was the best time."

"Do you regret it… loving me?" She tried her best to keep her sense awake. She had to hear his response.

Enma was slightly surprised, but his gaze on her softened. He gave her another sweet smile, reassuring her. "No and I never will. I love you after all."

Tsuna finally let a smile form on her lips as she sank into the depths of sleep. She was hesitant to sleep but with Enma by her side, she soon drifted off.

After seeing that she had fallen asleep, Enma took off his coat and placed it over her so she would not get cold. He walked over to the window and gazed at the beautiful scenery. It was just sunset. The sun's rays were bouncing off the edges of the mountains, lightly tinting the landscape below with a beautiful shade of orange, like the ones of Tsuna's eyes.

Out the corner of his eyes, he spotted the Storm Guardian looking confused while anger and frustration slowly boiled within him. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Despite the irritating feeling inside, there was nothing he could do to relieve her of her pain. This was her battle, not his. He had already promised himself that he would never hurt Tsuna, not after gaining her friendship when he thought her family had betrayed his. Even if he wanted to punch sense into almost every one of her Guardians, he would not do that.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the sight of her body rising and lowering with every breath she took. Even if he had to end up as the best friend who could not get the girl in the end, he would still not mind. He was just genuinely happy that she had let him by her side. A place by her side meant that he had a place in her big heart and that was all he needed; nothing less and nothing more. If not, he was scared what would become of him if he dared dream farther: true heartache that is what would result of it.

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><p><strong>EXTRA <strong>**NOTES**:

If you have noticed, this was formerly known as Some Things Were Never Meant to Be. I'm sorry for the long wait by the way. One message to you all: testing is always a pain to deal with especially with AP Testing near finals. Anyway, I really wanted to finish Some Things Were Never Meant to Be, but I'm rewriting it around and tweaking it since I want to implement some ideas as well as create more of a atmosphere between the characters instead of card board talking to card board, if you know what I mean.

For those who haven't read Some Things Were Never Meant to Be, please don't read it since you would be spoiled by it for the chapters to come. I will do my best to continue updating weekly since it's summer vacation so please be honest with you have something to say.

If there's any confusion with Tsuna's relationship with her Guardians and Enma, I will clarify them here. Tsuna cares for her Guardians deeply, some more than others, but they can't see it since they're scared of the chance of her rejecting them. I mean, who would not fall in love with someone who had helped you so many times when you were in danger or fallen down?

As for Tsuna and Enma, the Shimon incident has occurred and the two are trying to mend things back together. Enma has fallen for Tsuna ever since she saved him and his family. He knows that Tsuna does not love him like her Guardians, since he had confessed to her before and she had gently rejected him since she was confused with her feelings since they may have been mixed with pity, considering his background story.

It's been ten years since everything happened, so there may be some OOCness since I'm trying to portray them as older folk and how they have matured, seeing how Enma is more confident and Gokudera is more mellow.

Also the thing about Tsuna, she really can't choose one person. Like how it is stated about Gokudera and her, if he reacted like she expected him to, then she would do everything she could to be with him. No, she does not love him more than rest, it's just that Tsuna has been dealing with this problem for awhile and it has taken a toll on her, which has not shown physically, yet. Think about it, the person you like has always been next to you and you do drop hints that you like this person, but this person still does not get it. That's how Tsuna feels. She knows that love is very complex, but she's at the point of breaking as seen here. Enma is managing to help her get back up each time.


	2. The Rain Slips Through Her Fingers

**WARNING**: Use of profanity, you have been warned. I repeat, use of profanity.

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><p>Light chocolate brown eyes wandered off as she sat passively in the sleek black car as it drove through the glamorous city. Her eyes shifted left and right, up and down, as each city light caught her undivided attention like a curious child. She let out a soft sigh as she leaned back into her seat and took a peek at the person sitting next to her out of the corner of her eye. The lean swordsman was also looking out the window while his fingers would graze the hilt of his swords every now and then, almost as if he was petting them. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand into hers but refrained from doing so. She bit her lip but relaxed the tension in her shoulders as she gazed out the window once more.<p>

"Tsuna, what's wrong? You're not acting like your usual self." He could see the slight tiredness building up in the small dark bags underneath her eyes as well as she slumped over in her seat instead of sitting upright. "Did something happen lately?"

Tsuna shook her head tiredly, shooting him a smile in reassurance. "Not much, but I've been staying up more often than usual. I didn't think so many families sought after to be under Vongola's control for just about anything nor did I think they would be so persistent about it…" Her eyes met with his brown orbs, making her blush at the look. She tensed up once again when Yamamoto suddenly placed his forehead against hers. "Hieee…?"

"You were looking a bit red there for a moment. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't catch a fever or something. I don't want to put you in danger when you're at your weakest." He chuckled at the expression Tsuna was making and sat back into his seat.

Tsuna muttered a quick thank you and continued to look out the window while she found her hand touching her forehead, making her smile secretly to herself. It was one of these moments that made her heart flutter for one of her Guardians. The car ride became quiet once again as it approached the location for the negotiation with a small family. "Ready, Yamamoto?" At the sight of his nod and the determined yet focused look in his eyes, she knew that they were ready. After motioning her chauffeur that he could leave, the two walked out of the car with a few bodyguards following behind. She slipped on her gloves and silently entered her HDW mode while Yamamoto placed a hand on one of the hilts on his blades. Always take precaution, Timoteo always told her.

The moment the summer night breeze licked her face, she could sense that something was bound to happen, something that she was not going to like. It did not help when she looked at the location was taking place in the middle of an empty construction site. It screamed suspicious, didn't it? The unfinished buildings surrounding her and her men were lingering over their heads, almost like placing the weight on the world on their shoulders. With her Hyper Intuition going haywire, she pushed Yamamoto to the side, taking the gunshot that was meant for him, grazing her left arm. She hissed at the fresh wound. Before her men could react, Tsuna lit her flames and noticed there was something abnormal about them, however, by instinct, she made a wall of flames surrounding herself and her men. She flinched at the pain in her arm, realizing that something that shot her was no ordinary bullet. Before she could question of the quality of her flame, couple other gunshots rang throughout the night, shooting the lonely light that lit the dimmed area and men around her. As a result, there was barely any source of light for anyone to use to see. All that were left could do now was to rely on the senses to determine where the enemy was.

"Yamamoto, where are you? Where are you?"

Her senses were going haywire. Just what was going on? How come she could not feel his presence? She gasped when she thought of the reality that Yamamoto had fallen… No, that could not be it. She shook her head back and forth, ridding of the dreadful thought. What was going on with her? Was it her or was it the bullet? She got on her knees and tried to search for Yamamoto. This was getting really dangerous, she knew it. The enemy made a trap, one that she could easily get out of, but due to unforeseen events, she could not get her mind to work properly nor her flames were looking like they were supposed to be. Seeing that her flames were no longer needed, she slipped out of her HDW mode but took out the Glock hidden beneath her skirt. She then stood up, a bit calmer and confident. But it was too late when the Glock was knocked out of her hand and her hands were placed behind her back. The enemy had gotten to her. Fear entered her body, not just because of the enemy and possible death, but one of that Reborn would likely punish her if he ever gotten word of it. Yup, Reborn was still the damn sadistic hitman tutor he was.

"Oh, who do we have here? It's the Vongola Decimo."

Tsuna's face scrunched up at the aura the man was giving off. It made her skin crawl, making her trying to wiggle her way out of his grasp. Seeing that it was not use with her strength, she tried turning around to get a good look of him despite the inevitable darkness. "Just who are you and who are you working for?"

The man chuckled as he took his other hand and grabbed Tsuna's hair, pulling her head back. Placing his face near his neck, he smirked. "Why, I work for the family who's trying to kill you, Decimo. It's not always a play nice world, you know?" He chuckled as those eyes glared at him. "Why don't you call your Guardian over here to save you or are you just trying to play princess in distress to get his attention?"

Tsuna glared at the man. How dare he mock her Guardian? "You bastard, the moment I get out your clutches, you will wish you never said those words. In fact, I'll make it that you won't ever speak again!" She once again tried to break free, but his grasp was too strong. Just what the hell did this man take? Steroids?

"Haha, you're interesting, Decimo. Too bad, I have to kill you." The shine in his eyes danced gleefully when the woman in his hands was starting to shake. He let go of her hair and took out a pocket knife that was tucked away in his back pocket. "Now, all I have to do now is to take this thing and stab you through the throat. That would be a show, wouldn't it?"

Tsuna gulped as she tried to remain firm. Her hands like this, she could easily enter her HDW mode, but why did she feel she could not pull it off anymore… "Aren't you scared that the others might go after you?"

The man laughed. "I'm just one person. I have no attachments to anyone nor does anyone to me. Even if I die, no one would care. Now, you. If you die, just who would fall now? Your Guardians? Your family? Vongola? I would happily greet death if I could do that." The shine in his eyes was becoming more malicious than ever.

Tsuna tried to struggle against his grasp. She even tried kicking him but it proved to not work. "Yamamoto…" She whispered his name in despair. She did not want to die like this without anyone by her side. It was too frightening. She also found it strangely difficult to stay conscious. Seriously, what was going on with her? How come nothing was working out?

"Tch. The bitch is barely staying conscious." Before he could deal the final strike to end her life, the man felt something hard jab into his back and turned around. His eyes made contact with those of what he thought was the devil. "What…" He let go of Tsuna, who fell on the floor as he swayed back and forth from the pain, eventually dropping onto the ground. "Who the fuck are you?"

Yamamoto glanced at the figure of his boss on the floor, his eyes turning more menacing than ever. "Who do you think I am?" His voice had no hint of the Rain Guardian's warmth, no hint at all. The man cowering at his feet really did not deserve to live. He could feel the urge to kill the bastard standing in front of him. "How dare you put your hands on her? How dare you threaten her life? How dare you touch the woman I–" He bit back on his tongue. So many emotions were running through his mind so he decided to forward most of his malign ones towards the enemy. His eyes were filled with rage. How could he not be mad? Someone he cared deeply about was threatened.

The man on the ground just realized the mistake he made. That cold gaze in that man's eyes whispered death. "A-Aren't you going to kill me? Why don't you just do it already?"

Yamamoto glared at that man cowering at his feet. "Even if I wanted to, I think it would be more pleasurable if Vongola deals with you." He noticed the scared look in the man's eyes and a smirked formed on his face. "Oh, you're scared now, aren't you? That makes it all the more fun. I can't wait to think about the fun games Vongola will have with you."

"What games…?" The enemy was scared shit at the look Yamamoto gave him, making him pass out.

Yamamoto's eyes narrowed, creating a face that promised pure torture and sure death. "Why, ones involving screaming and blood? Doesn't that make you want to wish you never did this in the first place? Doesn't your heart scream for death right now?" Realizing that man had passed out, Yamamoto glared to the side and kicked the man's body towards the men that were coming towards him. "Keep him unconscious until we get back to the mansion so Reborn could deal with him when he learns of this. You guys leave first. Me and Tsuna will be heading over the hotel and will be returning tomorrow."

The Vongola men hesitantly walked toward Yamamoto and dragged the unconscious body away, slightly trembling at Yamamoto's murderous intent. They let out a sigh of relief when the aura dissipated when he approached Tsuna.

"Tsuna…" He slightly shook her, a bit worried if something happened to her. He noticed that there was clean graze on her left arm. "Tsuna…" She was not responding. "Tsuna, oi!" He shook her bit roughly now, worry biting into his heart. "Oi!" He picked her up bridal style with her head against his chest; a bit shocked at how light she was, but hurried past the men, walking over the piles of dead bodies he cut down, trying to get to her side. He saw that the car had arrived, quickly entering it. "Take us the hotel right now!"

The chauffeur jumped at the tone of Yamamoto's voice but did as he was told, concerned for the young lady that was in his arms. He could tell that it was urgent. He did not question them. They were, after all, his boss and her Guardian, a relationship that is quite difficult to break. "We're here, Yamamoto-san. Should I notify anyone of Decimo's condition?"

Yamamoto was hesitant but there was one person he could rely on for this. "Call Shamal and tell him that Tsuna has been harmed. If he complaint, tell him that Yamamoto told him to drop whatever he's doing and head over to Vongola HQ tomorrow, or I would have personally deal with him if something happens to Tsuna."

The chauffeur nodded and allowed Yamamoto and Tsuna to go on their way as they snuck into the back door of the hotel. He knew that Yamamoto was going to get yelled out for getting their boss harmed but it was better than bringing her home dead.

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><p>"Tsuna, please wake up…. Please…" He held her hand close to his face with his eyes closed, praying to practically every deity out there to answer his prayers. He did not really pray, but it really helped in times like this.<p>

"Yamamoto…" Her body felt so heavy, like something was on top of her or something. She let out a groan as she tried to sit up on whatever she was laying on. When she managed to get a clear sense of what was around her, Yamamoto started to bombard her with words.

Yamamoto's heart jumped when it heard its owner's name roll off of Tsuna's tongue. He let go of her hand and sat next to her one the bed, helping her sit up against the headboard. Then, he went back and unconsciously took her hand back into his. Yes, he could feel warmth, this warmth he would never let anyone take away from him. He could still see that she was tired when he knew that he could ask her what happened back there but nothing could keep him sitting down that she was awake and alive…

"Tsuna, are you alright? I noticed that you had a wound, so I disinfected it and wrapped it up for you. Are you feeling different or something? Please don't do something like that on me again. I don't know how I will deal with it if something like that happens again." He took her hand and pressed it against his forehead. "Thank goodness… I thought I really lost you there." His words were practically popping out of his mouth, rushed and a bit jumbled up but Tsuna heard all of it.

Tsuna did not know what to say. What happened back there, the condition of her flame… She could not tell him that. Sure, she would like it if he worried about her, but she did not want to place that burden on him. With nothing else coming up to say, she just spoke what she thought. "Yeah… I'm okay, but… Yamamoto, I… I'm sorry for worrying you."

Yamamoto looked at her with disbelief in his eyes. Why should she be sorry? She was the one who almost got killed today. He could feel anger erupting in him again. "How can you say that?" He let go of her hand and gripped the bed sheets tightly. "How can you say that when… when you were the one who almost died tonight?" He barked at her for the first time in their lives together. He stood up and noticed that Tsuna was now wide awake and looking at him with confused eyes.

Tsuna's fingers latched themselves around her opposite arm's wrist. "I… I…" Her face scrunched up as her mind searched for something to say back. She looked at him with pain. "I can't just leave my men out there to die or something. They're not some toys that can be trashed and fixed again. They're human beings, Yamamoto. What kind of boss do you want me to be if I treat them like that? I can't just do that. I'm their boss and it's my duty to protect the family. What do you want me to do then? Toss them out like toys or something?" Tears and frustration bodied up inside of her. "And then, there was you!" She looked down at her hands, stretching them out before her with her palms faced upward. "A-After pushing you aside, I had no idea where you were. I actually thought you were gone or something!" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Did you know how I felt? I thought I lost someone dear to me and then that man came and he started mocking you. And I had enough so I tried to get out and then… and then… and then…" Tsuna grabbed her hair in frustration. "Yamamoto, can't you understand what I'm feeling?"

Yamamoto was shocked at her outburst at him, but he could not help but feel helpless when he saw that blade near her neck. "Tsuna, you're the one who doesn't understand!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "You are the one that cannot be replaced. You are the only one that we cannot possibly lose. The men we lost out there tonight died trying to protect you or trying to find you in the darkness. They knew that this could happen any day. This is the Mafia, Tsuna." The grip on her shoulders had tightened. "Even if I had died tonight, you are able to find someone and replace me. But you! You are the one we cannot replace. We cannot replace the mother or the friend who has guided us through this hellhole occupation."

Tsuna's eyes widened as she drew her knees close to her chest and started crying. Once again, someone she loved was at risk of being killed tonight. Once again, they made her fall in love with them even more. Once again, they managed to escape her hands. Her body trembled when the words sank into her heart that Yamamoto was correct. Everyone knew of the possibility of dying, it was just her that to live no matter what despite the number of men who may fall for her sake. She was supposedly their light. Like the families who loved those men, she could never bear the pain of losing any of her Guardians. No one could ever replace her Guardians. No one could surpass their talent or the special place that they held in her heart. Hearing him say that it was easy to replace him, it broke her heart.

Yamamoto could see her trembling figure and wanted to hold her in his arms, showing her that he was still here. That, what he said was true. That, she was someone who was irreplaceable, to him… When he was about to scoop her up in his arms to give her comfort, her words struck him like a chord.

"No one could replace you, Takeshi. Even if someone took your spot as my Guardian, they could never replace the place you have in my heart." She gave him a smile, one that promised him much more.

Yamamoto did not know how to feel when she said those words. He could feel himself be all giddy, like how he was when they were back at Namimori. He could actually see himself like a total idiot right now. He could feel himself smile without being forced to. He then suddenly winced at the sudden jab at his side. Oh yeah… He got grazed there with a stray gun shot. He had to get out of here before Tsuna found out. His smile faded a bit. Fortunately for him, it was not same kind of bullet that hit Tsuna.

Seeing that his smile dropped, Tsuna immediately noticed something was wrong. She spot a dark stain on the side of his shirt and felt anger that he was injured. "You're hurt!" Tsuna tossed the sheets aside and crawled to where Yamamoto, catching him before he could escape her clutches. "Sit down and let me treat me you. I don't want to be the cause of you getting sick if it does get infected. Now, take off your shirt so I can treat it!" She sat on the bed cross-legged in silent protest that he took off his shirt. Her arm was screaming in pain, but she held it in. Her injuries were nothing compare to others.

After many minutes of pouting and chuckling being exchanged, Tsuna managed to get the former baseball player to take off his stained shirt, but there was still one challenge left. He still did not allow her to treat it, saying that her hands would get dirty with his blood. "Yamamoto, just let me treat it! It's going to get worst if it gets infected." She held up the first aid kit and pointed at it with an angry look.

Yamamoto suddenly got close up to her face, looking intensely into her eyes. When he noticed that Tsuna no longer had that look in her eyes, he chuckled and flicked her in the forehead. "No need to get so angry. I give up." He adjusted his body so Tsuna could treat it without hurting him.

Tsuna pouted but started to get to work. Her eyes were knitted with concentration as she lightly touched the opening of the skin with a cotton swab slightly soaked with alcohol, flinching every time Yamamoto would let out a hiss every now and then. When there were no more hints of blood, she took out a roll of bandages and started to wrap them around the wound. It was a bit complicated to get her arms around his build, but she managed. Every time, she got near his chest, she could smell his scent intoxicating her. She felt so content being so close to him but she remained professional and finished bandaging him. She could feel her consciousness weaving in and out of her system. She had to finish. She had to or… Luckily, she finished and allowed Yamamoto to check on her work.

Yamamoto got up and looked at his newly wrapped body. "It doesn't look to shabby for someone who used to have clumsy fingers." He chuckled as a blush covered her cheeks. "Well, I'm going to get out of your way and head to my room. Call me if you need me." Right when he turned around, he felt a small weight press against his back. "Tsuna…?" He tried to turn around, but all he got to see was the smaller adult digging her head into his back. All of sudden, the weight shifted off to the side and threatened to fall off the bed. Fortunately, he caught her before she hit the ground. "Tsuna… If you're that tired, then you didn't have to bandage me up."

"No… I wanted to though…" She tried to fight the sleep that was trying to envelop her. "I don't want to see you harmed."

"Haha, instincts of a mother, huh…"

Tsuna felt her body go rigged when Yamamoto covered her body with the bed sheets. She did not dare say anything that may jeopardize their relationship, considering her current mind of state right now and their previous fight. She waited until Yamamoto left, but she did not expect him to whisper good night into her ear before he left. Tsuna could feel her face go red when his warm breath touched her ear, making her all tingly inside. When she turned around, all she saw was the door closing. "Sweet dreams, Takeshi…" The smile that he placed on her face vanished, leaving her stunned. He treated her like a mother… She knew that Yamamoto lost his mother early during his childhood, but she did not expect she took on that role in his life.

Why… Why? Just why…? Was someone toying with her or something? Despite the tiredness building up in her system, she could not help but feel destructive. "Ugh!" She hated this feeling. This feeling of hopelessness… It felt so lonely, so cold, so regretful…

Out of frustration, she threw the first aid kit on the ground along with the pillows on her bed. She tangled herself in the white bed sheets, staining them with her tears. She still had not figured out the problem with her but that was not the thing that hurt the most at the moment. Why couldn't they see that she was worried about them? Why couldn't they see that she was wanted their warmth? Just why… Why couldn't they see that she loved them…?

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

The chapter is longer, the characters are more OOC... especially Yamamoto. Surprisingly, I see him as a more "dark" person in the future since it looks like he would be the person with the most blood on their weapon/hands when it comes to taking down enemies. After all, it's not always to work with you try to avoid hurting someone with a blade. I mean, if you didn't want to, then what's the use of picking up the blade... There's bound to be blood...

Anyway, I really tried to make it all serious with Tsuna and the enemy, but I don't think I'm quite there yet. It's been awhile since I wrote and I did say that I would try to finish this week to let the story keep up with the other. If some have noticed, there is definitely new content mixed with some old. I would like to say sorry in advance if there is repetitive words and bad grammar. I wrote this at night and I wanted to get this story updated, so yeah... And I like to thank my reviewers for reviewing. I would really like if you would voice what you think in a review, but I won't force you. Once again, thank you very much for reading and look forward to the next chapter.


	3. The Sky Sleeps In Her Tears

The Rain Guardian leaned against the door as he watched the Sun Arcobaleno pace back and forth. His tan hands were itching for the blade placed beside him, waiting to be used, waiting to shed some blood. The Guardian himself wanted to jump in there and just let their prisoner experience pain as vengeance for hurting Tsuna, but knowing her, she would not something happen to anyone even if they were after her life. Damaged, yes. Barely hanging onto life, no.

"This is going nowhere…" The Sun Arcobaleno stopped pacing and sat down on one of the chairs as he sipped his freshly brewed espresso. "That girl needs to learn to be merciless. If she keeps on doing this, not only will it jeopardize her safety, it will also be her downfall. It looks like I have to knock it into her head literally or else she'll keep on doing it."

"Maa. Maa, Reborn. You know how she is. Plus, I know that you don't want that to change about her. It just wouldn't define who she is then." He chuckled when Reborn cocked the Leon-transformed gun at him, placing his hands up in the air in mock surrender. "Haha, gonna shoot me for stating the truth?" His muscles relaxed from the tension created before as he continued to joke around with Reborn even though it was one-sided.

"Yamamoto, shut it. You have potential; don't make me regret killing you for a stupid reason. I'm not afraid to shoot. Don't forget that you're still getting punished for letting her get hurt under your care." The Sun Arcobaleno glared at Yamamoto with his onyx black eyes.

Yamamoto laughed it off, but he knew that Reborn was serious. "Yeah, I know…" The Rain Guardian smiled bitterly to himself as he remembered what happened when he came home with Tsuna in his arms. Gokudera practically yelled at him for letting their boss get hurt. Of course, Tsuna was out the room and led to Shamal for actual treatment. They were both hitman after all. In this world, the family and duty comes first, then friends and love… And if you were acting stupid, then it was better off that you were dead. This place had no room for mistakes or failures.

Realizing that Yamamoto still had that forced goofball smile on his face, Reborn shook his head as he lowered his gun and allowed Leon to crawl on the desk. His back was facing Yamamoto when he went back to take a sip of his drink. a finger messing with his sideburns. Some people just do not change. "So...? What do you think we should do with him?"

The Rain Guardian looked to the side as a hand came up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Eh… Torture for answers and then release?" His eyes suddenly turned steel cold when they landed upon the prisoner through the glass panel. The only thing that stood between him and that man was the door and this wall.

Reborn seriously wanted to kill the kid for say something like that. Too bad, he liked the kid though he would not admit it loudly. "Like what?" He leaned back in his chair and looked at Yamamoto while his lips curved into a devious smile. He was going to take that statement back about people not changing. Seeing the look on Yamamoto's face right now surely proved it false.

* * *

><p>It was just going to be a regular check-up between fellow patient and doctor. Well, it was not a regular check-up since he had to check her wound for any possible problems, but still. Sure, she has been injured before, but he patched her up and made it all better again. It was suppose to end with him announcing that everything was regular or normal. It was suppose to end with Shamal giving her a cheeky smile while she would laugh at his cheap pick up lines. But this them, it was different… This time, it was not going to end with smiles, it was…<p>

Light chocolate brown eyes widened as she looked at the ground in disbelief rather than the report of her treatment in her hand. Her fingers clenched tightly into a fist, crumpling the side of paper, as she started to tremble. She placed the sheet in front of her disbelieving eyes, scanning it once again, unable to accept that reality before her eyes. It felt as if someone just suddenly threw a bucket of cold water over her. She looked up at Shamal, then looking down at the paper, then back at him. "S-Shamal… This is a cruel joke, you know? I didn't know you were such a prankster. You know that this is not funny, right…? Even some jokes have their limits…" She let out a cracked nervous laugh as she looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to tell her that this was not true; that this was some cruel joke. It just could not be true. There was no way that she could have developed such a condition unless… Her eyes widened once more, recalling that night when she was… She dropped to her knees, eyes glued to the ground in shock. "S-Shamal, can't you do something about this…?" She knew that she was asking for the impossible.

The older male looked at the dull white wall behind Tsuna, not wanting to look at the girl or her eyes. He wanted to laugh it off and say it was just a joke, but that would be just too cruel. Even if he was a womanizer, he still could not handle the tears of a crying woman well, especially a woman of Tsuna's degree. He knelt down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her in his own way, while his eyes were still plastered on the wall behind her but they lowered onto her head as he spoke to her. "I'm sorry, Tsunayoshi. I regret that I can't cure your condition due to various factors you should know… But if you want to, I will do everything in my ability to get you feeling better at least, something to push it back from happening. I also promise that I won't tell anyone." He saw her nod, but the tension in the air was still not gone.

"Shamal, I have one more question for you, as my doctor. Please be honest with me." She looked up, her hand grasping on Shamal's sleeve, preventing him from leaving. Her eyes were filled with fear, scared of the answer he might give her.

Shamal nodded and sat down in more comfortable position on the floor as he allowed Tsuna to calm herself down. "What is it that you want to ask?" Evidence of his lax self was nowhere to be seen but serious concern and worry for the girl.

"What are the possibilities of me surviving if I decided to–"

* * *

><p>When Shamal left the room, Tsuna was still glued to the ground. She looked at the piece of paper gripped tightly in her hand, trying to persuade herself that this was all a fact, not an illusion. Seeing that she was getting frustrated from looking at it, she crumbled it up and tossed the thing aside as far as possible while she pulled herself near the mundane wall to lean against. She stared at the ceiling while transparent tears ran down her cheeks, biting her bottom lip in the process. This was stupid, utterly stupid and painful. It was no wonder that she developed such a condition. How could she have been so careless? And with how things were going for her, she could not see how her condition was going to improve…<p>

"Tsuna… What is this about…?"

Tsuna's pupils dilated while her eyes widened at the sight of Enma in front of her, holding the crumpled sheet of paper spread open. Her eyes grew larger when she realized that Enma should not learn of her condition, she did not want to burden with anymore of her problems. She tried to reach out to grab it away from his hand before he read it but it was too late. She knew that it was too late when she saw that look in his eyes, letting her arms to fall to her sides when the piece of paper slowly floated down to the ground. She looked up and saw Enma, who had his eyes closed. She did not know what to say. "E-Enma… It was my fault that this happened to me. They were not the ones who caused it. I was being stupid and carless… I... Enma?"

The redhead did not say anything, frightening his companion even more. She slightly jumped a bit when he stooped to her level. Instead of getting angry with her, he took her shaking body into his arms, not wanting to let her go.

Tsuna choked a sob and cried into his shirt as she felt his arms tightened around her frame. She realized that he was not going to yell at her but rather comfort her like he always did. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry…." Her fingers latched onto the fabric of his suit, allowing tear stains to seep throw it. Slowly but surely, she quieted down while Enma rubbed circles on her back. Her head pressed against his chest, her mind being soothed by his heart's gentle beat. "I was being careless and this happened. I'm sorry. Please don't tell anyone. I d-don't want them to panic. Please. Don't tell anyone. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"The reason for this… Is part of it because of that one incident that you requested to stay at my place for…?" Enma was hesitant. Heck, he was scared. His fears were proven true when he felt her nod against his chest.

"Enma, I have something else to tell you…"

Enma closed his eyes. It could not be more worse than what he found out, right? "Go on…"

Tsuna leaned closer to Enma, telling him what happened before Shamal left her alone and the decision she had chosen even though she was scared. She could feel him go rigid after he finished. "Enma…?" She knew that he was scared, but she knew that he was also scared, scared of losing her.

"I'm fine… Just rest, okay?" After feeling her nod, he looked up at the ceiling in defeat. He then sighed and pulled her closer to him. Moving her in a more comfortable, he let the girl rest against him. Placing his head on top of hers, his eyes were knitted with pain. The sight and the sound of her tears and cries made him more worried than getting angry like he should have been. The reasons for her tears were the results of her check-up as well as her Guardians… They were always included in her tears. They were a part of her pain, but he could not blame Tsuna or them. They had gathered around her when she was young and alone, so it was natural for such a love to bud. When he noticed that she had fallen asleep, he gently picked her up into his arms, carrying her in a bridal style, before proceeding out the door.

Standing in front of the door, Enma was somewhat surprised to find his Guardian leaning against the wall with her eyes closed in what seemed to be irritation and her leg crossed over the other. "What brings you here, Adelheid…?" His confidence was drained out of him when he saw that look on his intimidating friend.

The older woman opened an eye and leered at the male as well as the female in his arms. She opened her mouth to lecture him about leaving the car so suddenly when he saw Shamal smoking with that look in his eyes but slowly closed it when she noticed that there were tear stains on his suit as well as on the Vongola Decimo's face. She lifted his chin and analyzed his features, looking more mentally tired than usual… She sighed as she let go of him. "You suddenly left everyone in the dust when you bolted your way over here. And I think I can say why I know why but do care to explain."

Enma weakly smiled in return. "I was just worried about her, that's all. Shamal actually took longer than usual, so I figured that she got injured or something… But today, I saw him smoking, which was normal, but there was that disturbed and regretful look in his face, so I knew something was up and…"

"You're such a lover boy." Adelheid shook her head and sighed. She ran her fingers through his hair, breaking him out of his depressed state. Looking at him directly in the eyes, she warned him. "You know that with all those guys around her, you won't stand a chance to win her heart. It's going to hurt when she chooses."

Enma shook his head in disagreement as he started to walk toward Tsuna's room with Adelheid following. "I don't need to win her heart." He knew that Adelheid was throwing a questioning look at his back. "I… I just need to know that I have a spot by her side, in her heart, that's it. She's not a prize, Adelheid. She's a person like us, but sometimes, I wonder if the others see her as who she is or as something they could never attain as their f-fated one…"

Adelheid raised an eyebrow at the strained tone in his voice. "Enma… Seriously, I don't see why you bother to get wrapped up in her love life if it's just going to hurt you."

Enma stopped and gazed out the window, looking at the clear sky beyond the physical barrier. He then turned around and looked at her. "Adelheid, you're a girl. You should know what happens when there's requited love as well as wanting to support his love if you cannot gain his affections in the end." There was a soft smile on his face as he gazed down at Tsuna's face, one that wished her happiness as well as his love for her.

Adelheid sighed in defeat but a smile was placed on her lips. He got her there. She then looked at the watch on her wrist and sighed. Too bad, she had to ruin the moment. "Enma, you do know that you have to meet up with Reborn, right? I suggest that you don't be late, since I heard that he's in a bad mood."

The redhead stopped smiling as he stiffened. Sighing once more, he walked over to Adelheid, looking up at her. He could not get over the fact that she was still taller than him. "Adelheid, you don't mind taking her to her room, do you? I want to make sure she gets there safely but if I leave her to one of the servants, I'm scared that they might question how come she's like this." Seeing that she had her arms stretched out for her to carry the younger female, he gently placed the brunette into his Guardian's arms while he brushed aside a loose strand of hair away from her face. He then realized that he was losing time, he started running down the hall, trying not to collide with anyone along the way.

Adelheid sighed at her boss's actions but went on her way to the brunette's room. As she walked through the confusing maze crafted within the mansion, she wondered how anyone got anywhere on time. Every now and then, she would look down at the sleeping boss in her arms. She felt her heart twist a bit when she recalled Enma's expression when he placed the girl in her arms before he left, considering his situation. The Earth and the Sky could never be one or could they…? One would long for the other without knowing their love was returned or not. It was hard to say, despite their close relationship and their ancestors' relationship, she always surrounded by her Guardians as he was with his. Even if she wanted to drag them apart once more, she could not.

"Suzuki-san. Suzuki-san, are you lost?"

Adelheid snapped out of her thoughts and looked around, realizing that she had been in this part of the building before. She mentally face palmed herself when she saw the female Mist Guardian looking at her with concern.

"Oh… Hello, Chrome..." She smiled shyly since she found it difficult to be comfortable around the female due to what happened years ago even though she was forgiven. Even though she loosened up her serious demeanor, it was really hard to act nice. "Tsunayoshi was…" Seeing the concerned look in the female Mist Guardian's eyes, Adelheid thought it was best not to lie. "Enma found her crying after her check-up with Shamal and he stayed with her before she fell asleep. Enma had to go the meeting with Reborn so he left her in my care so I can take her to her..." She stopped talking when she saw Chrome giving Tsuna a sad look with her eye.

Looking up at the Shimon Guardian and then at her boss, she sighed. "You probably know how come she's like this…" She placed a hand on her boss's face, concern sketched all over her expression. "Why do you hurt yourself…?" Chrome looked up at Adelheid and awkwardly smiled at her. "She must be troubling you with Enma and all."

Adelheid shook her head, knowing what Chrome was referring to. "No. I don't exactly find it troubling but I'm just worried about Enma and her. It's something we can't really get involved in until she wants us too. Even if there are people who deserve to be cleansed from her life…" Her voice was getting more dark and filled with threat, reverting back to her old self, until she noticed the violet hair female was smiling at her. "What…"

Chrome looked up at Adelheid and placed a hand over the Shimon Guardian's, her eye filled with seriousness. "As a fellow Guardian, I ask you keep this to yourself. However, if you find it necessary to disclose this, then please do so. I trust your judgment. I hope we can work together to keep our bosses happy."

Adelheid's eyes widened at the sudden tension in the air, but her eyes softened at Chrome's words. "I never thought I would ever have this kind of talk with you, Chrome. And yes, I will do everything in my power to at least ease their pain." There was this look on Chrome's face that she could not make out. It was as if she saw something she should not have. "Chrome… You saw her cry before, right?" A small knowing smile appeared on her face when she noticed that the muscles in the smaller female tensed.

Chrome's eye widened but they somewhat relaxed when her gaze was on her boss. "I was going to tell her my report about a mission and I saw her crying…" She bit her lip at the memory; it was something that broke her heart terribly. "The same thing with Enma…?"

Adelheid nodded. "He may not know it, but we've seen it swirling in his eyes, emotions of anger, regret, frustration, and sadness. I know that he wants to do something, but he puts Tsuna's interests before his own…"

Chrome awkwardly smiled. "I see…" She reverted to her shy self as the awkwardness between the two grew within the silent exchange. "So… I'll see you around then." She bowed to the Shimon Guardian, indicating her leave, but noticed something was amiss. "Is there a possibility that you are lost from finding Bossu's room?" She saw the older woman cock a nervous smile. Chrome smiled politely and pointed down the hall behind Adelheid. "Go down the hall and take the first left. Continue down that hall and then make a right, another right, then a left, and finally on the left, there should be a silver door knob. It's the only one of that color in the hallway." She then turned around and started walking toward the place where she was suppose to meet up with Lambo for their next mission. She found herself smiling at the Glacier Guardian's actions, but her smile slowly became a frown. Something was wrong with her boss again and the brunette did not seem to be telling anyone beside the Shimon Boss. Chrome sighed. Unlike the other Vongola Guardians, she was a female, so she could easily see what was one of the factors that was troubling her boss. She only wished the brunette would go to her for help sometimes.

Adelheid bowed slightly to the retreating younger female's back in thanks, in fear of dropping the sleeping brunette in her arms. After the two split apart, she smiled to herself that her relationship with the violet haired female was less strained. She then remembered that she had to deliver the sleeping princess to her bed. But there was this biting feeling inside of her. The Shimon Guardian was worried that the brunette was pushing herself to mask her emotions in front of her precious people as well as herself.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

It turned out more different than I expected.

For Yamamoto's and Reborn's part, I hoped it worked out. Yamamoto has a more of serious darker side now while Reborn is being all comfortable and shows his emotions a bit more often. Guess who changed him... That's a hint, haha...

As for Tsuna's and Shamal's part, I just tweaked it a bit. But for her and Enma's part, I was listening to "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum, so I really tried to convey the feelings of the song into their part, mainly the chorus. That song just seems to fit Enma's love for her as I envisioned it. I suggest you listen to it when you read their part if you want.

I also tried to make Chrome and Adelheid's conversation work. It's really hard to vision how the two act, since Chrome does not get a lot of screen time and Adelheid, well, she's difficult to figure out, but I know one thing, when she cares about something or someone, she's devoted. So for Chrome, I was like "she should be a bit more assertive, calm, a bit more relaxed, caring, very good observation..." but then I was like "did she ever gain any of Mukuro's traits, if so, it should be for threatening people rather than toying with them." I see her as a more mature Mukuro without his odd quirks." As for Adelheid, I was like "caring, not too serious, puts her interests for Shimon after her boss's, more lenient, somewhat awkward in conversation not dealing about the family..."

Again, thank you reviewing. It makes me happy to know that people like what I write. Please look forward to the next chapter. Depending on my mood, it might take a turn of the worse or for the better. Oh, and if you hadn't notice, I've been dropping hints about how the other feels about Tsuna. It shows but the men just can't really see what they feel for her yet... So sad...


	4. The Mist Leaves Her Warmth

Blankets were tossed or pushed aside as the disarrayed Vongola Decimo tossed back and forth in her bed sheets, eventually got her legs tangled in them. The scrutinizing look on her face led to the assumption that she was having a nightmare, a terrible one at that. Sweat covered her body, making her office clothes hug her skin, not wanting to let go. She felt like she was suffocating. Her eyebrows were knitted together as her face revealed a pained expression.

While the brunette was held captive in her nightmare, one of her Guardians had entered the room with the idea of toying with his dear boss. When word spread around that she had returned to her chambers to rest, he immediately snuck over here. The smirk on his face fell when he approached his boss's bedside.

His process of thought halted when he saw the young Vongola twist in pain in what seemed to be a nightmare. "Oya, it seem like our dear princess has drifted into an unpleasant dream." He sat on the bed, wary of touching her. His heterochromia eyes fell upon the woman as he sighed after removing one of his gloves. While he raised his hands to touch her forehead to get rid of her nightmare, his wrist was gripped tightly by her hand, preventing him from doing whatever he was doing, surprising him greatly.

The brunette suddenly snapped out of her nightmare once she felt someone's presence. She was breathing quite heavily as she tried to calm herself down and from moving too fast. The clothes tightened around her, much to her irritation. Her mind was still hazy, so when she noticed that she had caught someone's wrist in her sleep, she automatically entered self-defense mode. She instinctively tried to punch the intruder in the face, but her wrist ended up getting grabbed much to her annoyance. Thinking fast, she let go of the intruder's wrist and tried to retaliate, but that wrist also got caught. She growled as she tried to hit the intruder despite her handicap. Her eyes widened when she made too much of a lunge and was about to hit the floor. She closed her eyes, afraid of the impact, but to her surprise, she fell on something softer. This was strange. She opened one eye to see who it was and gasped when she saw Mukuro grimace in pain, noticing he was the one who was holding onto her wrists. "M-Mukuro!" I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit you." Then a thought hit her. "Wait… What were you doing here in the first place?" She gave him a questioning look as she was released from his hold and got back on her bed.

"That really hurt, Tsunayoshi." He pouted but the mischievous shine in his eyes did not convince her to fall for his little trick. "Kufufu, is that how you treat someone who rescued you from your fall?" Despite his smiling face, he was groaning in pain deep inside. That fall really hurt since the ground made contact with a bruise he had from a fight with a certain Guardian. But he could not show weakness in front of the princess, right? "I was just going to get rid of the dream. I didn't think I would be rejected so violently." Mukuro smirked as Tsuna muttered a soft sorry.

She looked at him and weakly smiled in apology. Then again, it was good that she managed to keep him from entering her mind. He did not need to know of what happened today.

Noticing that Tsuna was still in discomfort, he tried asking questions to see what was going on in her little head. "So, it looked like you were having a nightmare?" He stood up and sat on the side of her bed while she lifted the sheets to cover the bottom portion of her body from the Italian cold.

"Yes…" Tsuna looked the other way while Mukuro sighed. "But it had nothing to do with the Mafia… It had to do with something else…" Her words trailed off when she realized Mukuro was gazing down at her, looking intently at her face. "Is there something on my face…?" She looked down at her nose, scrunching it up, wondering if there was something on her face. Her eyes widened and started to rub her mouth with her sleeve. There was not drool on her face, right?

Mukuro chuckled at Tsuna's reaction. She was really adorable. He pinched her nose, making her whine. "There's nothing on your face. It looks like I've done my job of cheering you up." He ran his fingers through her messy locks. "Hime-sama, you better be careful if you don't want to be possessed by me. I might use you for something else, you know?" A smirk graced his lips when he saw a light blush spread across her cheeks. "Do you need me for anything, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna shook her head. "I'll be fine after I get some rest. I'm just tired." She faintly smiled at him as he kissed her forehead. "Hieee?"

"Just a charm to keep the nightmare away." He chuckled to himself when he saw the blush grow darker. "I'll see you around then."

Tsuna nodded and watched the male Mist Guardian leave her room. She tossed the sheets aside as she stretched out in a more comfortable position due to her clothes. Smiling to herself, she touched her forehead. The place that he placed his lips upon was making her feel warm inside. To think Mukuro would give her affection just made her fall for him even more. She did not care if he was a player. He was the only one who could make her happy without seriously trying. It was kind of scary to think about what would happen if he actually tried to make her happy. She smiled faintly to herself as her eyes closed. However, a sigh escaped her lips when the feeling of content left her, which allowed sleep to envelop her. She had fallen deeper into this mess of deep affections.

* * *

><p><em>Tsuna looked around and realized that she was in a dream. Everything around her was white, just pure white. She looked down at her feet, noticing that she was on a black path that had split into five paths. She looked up; noting that on each respective path, there was silhouette of a man standing in front of her. She could not make out who they were. There was tug on her pinky, making her surprised that there was a red string tied around it. Looking where it would end up, she was shocked that each man had a red string attached to her own… How was this possible? She was connected to all five of them… <em>

_However, as the scenery around her gradually turned dark, the strings were getting longer and longer, stretching beyond its limits. The men did not notice the restrain on the finger and kept on walking down their paths. Tsuna wanted to call out to them, that their connection was breaking. However, before she could call out any of their names, a mirror appeared before her, showing what she involuntarily doing. Her body started moving on its own, a pair of scissors materializing in her opposite hand. Tsuna fought her control over her body but it would not obey. The gleaming blades did the one thing she did not expect: it cut the strings for her. Her eyes dilated as the end of the strings slowly fell to the ground. "No… No… No…" She shook her head back and forth in disbelief. _

_This could not be true. This could not be true. If those men represented who she thought they were, then… She looked up, only to see that mirror again. The figure inside of it pained her heart. It was her… There was a sad smile on her face with tears running down her cheeks. It seemed like she did it in order to release herself, but there was regret and remorse swimming through her eyes. Before she could reach out and touch the mirror, the mirror fell and shards of glasses sprayed everywhere. Was this her heart she was seeing… Before the thought was processed through her mind, the floor below suddenly gave out, trying to suck her up into its depths. Her hand had caught onto the edge of the hole, trying to pull herself out of it, her mind scrambling for the truth. _

"_If only you had confessed to them, then you wouldn't be feeling this way…"_

"_The feeling of having a one-sided love was created by you…"_

"_If only you acted upon your feelings, then you wouldn't have to feel this way, but you're scared that you won't be accepted…"_

"_That they only think of you other than their lover. Maybe it's preferable this way. You don't deserve to be by their side…"_

"_Someone who they look up to that can't even pursue her own life interests cannot pursue the goals she had set out for others... You are unqualified to love, Tsunayoshi."_

_Tsuna looked up and almost let go at the sight. They were right in front of her, looking down at her with a face of sadness and anger. Why were they looking at her like that… _

"_How could you, Jyuudaime? I thought you were more professional than this?"_

"_And to think I thought you were stronger than this, Tsuna…"_

"_Oya, oya. You're a broken toy, aren't you?"_

"_Tch, and to think I thought of you as an equal."_

"_You have disappointed me, Tsuna."_

_Tsuna tried to pull herself up as she called out to the men who were leaving her side. "No! I'm not like that! I'm…" But she could not find the words. She knew that what they were saying was true. She could not voice her feelings. She was a coward. "I… I…" Seeing that they were getting further away from her, her grip on the edge loosened, making her fall, allowing them out of her sight, "No, wait! Hear me out, please!" She still had not fell to the bottom, but that did not stop her from trying to grab at anything that may helped her back up. "Please don't go! Please don't leave me! PLEASE!" She soon found herself hanging onto something, while her other hand was outstretched, reaching for the light above. "Please… Don't leave me… Please, I beg of you…" But once again, she was shocked to notice that her voice reached no one. Tears formed as she struggled to call out to them. Each time, she cried out louder, trying to get their attention, but no one came back. With one more cry, fear grabbed at her body as its arms reached from the depth of the hole, pulling her away from her last chance of happiness. _

* * *

><p>He had thought the young woman would be having a sweet dream after what happened during the early morning. She should have calmed down by now, since the evening breeze was sweeping through the mansion.<p>

"Tsunayoshi? Tsunayoshi!" The male illusionist was surprised to see his boss drenched in so many tears with such a pained expression on her face. He was hesitant to peek into her dreams, since it was not an area he could not freely roam into without her permission. He really did not know what to do. The woman was trembling on her bed, her fingers clenching the bed until they turned white. He sat on her bed with an ungloved hand outstretched. He took a deep breath with his eyes closed. He muttered a quick apology for intrusion, but before he could touch her, her body suddenly lunged forward.

"No! Please!" Tsuna hit Mukuro's chest, her arms unintentionally wrapping themselves around the older male. She tightened her hold on him, scared that this person may leave her side before. She did not want that. She wanted them by her side, every one of them. She was scared of the thought of them leaving her. They were her support. They were her existence. They were practically the ones keeping her alive, despite killing her inside…

Mukuro's eyes widened at how much strength his boss was putting into hugging him. Just what kind of nightmare she was having? He let out a small growl as the thought of possessing her entered his mind. Why did it have to come up now? Well, it was the perfect opportunity to take her when she was at her weakness. And right now, she was grabbing onto him for dear life. Yes, right now, while her defenses were down. He was torn between soothing the brunette from her nightmare or possessing her. The metallic trident slowly materialized in his gloved hand as he positioned it right behind her, placing it near the crook of her neck, his eyes aching to see the weapon split that beautiful skin open to see that crimson red blood flow freely from it. His grip on the trident tightened but his eyes narrowed when he knew that he could not move the trident any further. He tossed the thing aside as it dissolved once it hit the ground. He sighed as his arms wrapped around the brunette to comfort her. "Kufufu, I can't do it anymore, huh…" He let out a laugh of defeat, but he quickly returned his attention to Tsuna.

Slowly, she lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears, as she raised a hand to touch his cheek. Her fingers lightly danced on the perfect skin, wanting to feel his warmth that he was here with her. "Please… D-Don't leave me…"

Mukuro looked down at her with a sad look in his eyes. He could not believe that he was doing this. And to think, he was going to destroy the Mafia. He could no longer do that, not after meeting this woman. Slowly, he pushed the woman back onto the bed as he positioned himself near her, laying a protective hand over her figure.

Tsuna sensed a familiar being and scooted closer the body for comfort. She nudged her head into Mukuro's chest as her arms wrapped around his arm. "Thank you... Thank you…"

Mukuro silently sighed to himself. He let himself relax as he let himself fall asleep alongside his boss.

Why was he doing this? He loathed the Mafia, right? Then, why was he here when he could be making plans to posses her? Why did he let that chance go? He looked down at the now calm brunette with tired eyes, who had finally calmed down. He sighed once more. It was her fault. But a smile tugged at his lips. This was not a bad exchange either. Instead of destroying the Mafia, he could be here by her side. Yeah, he'll take that offer any day. Life would not be fun without someone to tease with. Yeah, that must be his reason. He just wanted his fun to last until it had to end. Begrudgingly, he hoped it would not end.

* * *

><p>Her eyes suddenly snapped open in the middle of the night. Her body went rigid when she realized that she was lying next to one of her most dangerous Guardians. She bit her lip in regret. She had to stop this… That dream she had… It was possible that it may happen but this was just wrong. She wanted to be by their side if they allowed her to, not forcing them out of concern. She did not want to be treated that way, always coveted and protected. She wanted to stand on an equal stage with them… However, this was the first time a male ever got this close to her. His warmth melted her walls. Unconsciously, her body moved on its own as it found itself straddling Mukuro's waist. She cupped his cold cheek into her hand, making the illusionist awaken from the sudden warmth. She then lowered her head to his chest, hearing the gentle sound of her Mist Guardian's heart beat against the ribcage.<p>

This was something that Mukuro was only able to do. He had the strangest ability of calming her down when they were alone.

Mukuro wanted to shove the brunette off of him. Not that he had anything against her, he actually like her warm hand on his face, but to be touched by another without his permission was unnerving. Ever since the destruction of the Estraneo, he did not let anyone touch him, not even Chrome, unless permitted. He could feel himself become uncomfortable but then again, it felt strange to be touching by another so warmly. Her hand were filled with warmth instead of those cold hands who dissected him like some animal. It did not feel as disgusting as he thought it would be, but still. It did not suit him well to be touched other people. How come he could not have the strength to take his hand away from her? He did not get it. But for some reason, this woman had the power to do so.

Seeing the muscles on her Mist Guardian's face relaxed made Tsuan regret her next move. Yes, she was fully awake now. She had to do this. She rather have him hate her than have him worry about her. She did not want to burden him with that. She awkwardly smiled. Her way of portraying love was surely odd. Hovering just over his face, her locks of hair just touching his face, her eyes formed into that of a seductress, something she picked up over the years. She spoke the forbidden words that would break their silent trust in each other.

"Mukuro, will you possess me?"

It was the very words he had been waiting to hear his whole life coming out of her own lips, her own voice. But sadly, he did not expect this reaction out of him. His eyes had widened at her question, but they soon narrowed in anger. A scowl formed on his face turning darker with every minute when it did not affect the woman hovering on top of him. In an instant, they had switch spots, with him hovering over her now. The scowl was now replaced with a threatening smirk.

"Kufufu, it seems like you're fine with the world falling into my hands, Tsunayoshi. Surely, you'll know the results of your actions." His eye flashed in anger when the brunette said nothing in retaliation as If there were no words to stop him.

Tsuna looked to the side, closing her eyes shut. This was big bet on her side. If Mukuro did what he wanted to do in the first place, then that was that. But if he let her go, well, then that meant he felt something for her at least… That bit would do justice to her actions tonight. To him, it may have seemed like she was expecting him to possess her, but Tsuna knew that she was surely sending one of her precious ones away from her side. It was a great pain to bear. She knew that she was doing this for his sake, but she could not help but feel that Mukuro would still get hurt in the end.

Barely getting any response of out her, he growled deeply in his throat. What was he expecting her say? What did he want her to say? He placed himself at the crook of her neck, taking her scent in. Why was this woman so difficult to manipulate? Just what caused him to change?

Despite her efforts of staying composed, Tsuna blushed in reaction to their closeness. She tried to stop her lips from moving, to say that she was just testing him like she did Gokudera before. She tried to stop her arms from holding him close to her. Her eyes widened when Mukuro let out a deep breath, tickling her skin, allowing a quiet sound to escape her lips.

Mukuro's eyes narrowed at Tsuna's actions. His trident instantly appeared in his free hand, waiting to be used… but he could not bring himself to do it. He sighed in defeat, unintentionally creating a similar reaction in his boss once again. This woman finally had him wrapped around her finger. He pushed himself off of her and looked at her with defeated eyes. However, when he looked at her, he felt entranced by the sight of her eyes half-lidded. His eyes moved down from her neck to her… He closed his eyes in frustration. He shook his head and removed himself away from her. Turning around, he let out a low growl, trying to replace his sadness with his usual demeanor. He could not show her that she could now control him. "Oya, oya. You are no longer the vessel I envisioned to be. I don't have any wish to possess you at the moment, Tsunayoshi. Surprisingly, I thought you would struggle but you did not. You're not worth my time chase after anymore. I can't play with such a dull toy. Ask me again when you're not broken anymore."

Tsuna covered her eyes with her arm as she rolled on her side when Mukuro left. She could not believe that she just did that… The way Mukuro reacted... She knew that he was masking his feelings. Why? Call it intuition. She had hurt him deeply. She let out a frustrated groan as she curled up in a fetal position. She had never been that close to a male like that before in her lifetime. It felt different than just being by their side. His warmth seeping into her body only made her ache for more. Oh, how she longed to be touched by someone she loved. How she wanted to be held in their arms… She grabbed a pillow and held it tightly in her arms. Is this how Enma felt when he would hold her in his arms? She could feel herself crying again. If she did, then she surely had hurt him.

"How much longer will this last? How much longer should I keep falling for them…? Just tell me… When can I finally move on…?" She burst into tears as they came out muffled through the pillow she was holding.

* * *

><p>Chrome had come to check on her boss, but she did not expect to see Mukuro sleeping beside her. She was about to closed the door until she saw Tsuna move. That look in her boss's eyes… Her eye was glued to what was playing in front of her, not wanting to move from its place. She was about to leave because she did not want to eavesdrop but when she heard Tsuna ask Mukuro to possess her, her curiosity got the best of her.<p>

By the time the conversation was over, Chrome immediately ducked out of the door's way when Mukuro exited the room. She was a tad bit surprised that he did not notice that the door was opened yet then again, he was sad, very sad inside. She held her breath as he walked past her, bowing to him slightly out of respect. She was surprised to see his face contorted with irritation and frustration with a tint of sadness. She hurried and went to Tsuna's room, knocking on it, notifying her boss of her presence.

She saw Tsuna raise her head and smiled weakly to her, motioning her to come closer. "Come here, Chrome."

Chrome nodded and closed the door behind her. She then approached her boss as her boss wrapped her arms around her. She stiffened at the touch but relaxed as her boss tried to hold her as if she did want her to leave her side. "Bossu?"

"Please. Just stay with me. Please."

Chrome could feel Tsuna shake in her arms. Slowly, she climbed onto the bed with Tsuna wrapped around her waist. She sat against the head board as Tsuna slowly cried herself to sleep on her lap. As Chrome ran her fingers through the brunette's locks, she found herself glaring at the door.

This had to stop. It just had to. This was just getting too sad to watch them play mind games with Tsuna. No, Tsuna had no control over her Guardians. In fact, they were the ones who were controlling her actions, they just could not see it yet. They would regret it one day. The day when she starts acting of the ordinary to them, that is when they will fail to realize that Tsuna had finally stopped to catch their affections for her.

* * *

><p>Enma leaned against a wall in an empty hallway. His ears and eyes had seen and heard everything. Chrome had not noticed his presence when he was behind her, but he pulled himself away when Mukuro stopped talking. His eyes were closed. He was biting his lip, not wanting a sound to escape. He silently walked down the hallway and decided it was best if he left for the day. He was not expecting that when he thought he had the chance to visit her after that meeting with Reborn ended so late. He thought he could have said sweet dream to her. He thought he would be the one who would catch Tsuna when she was about to fall. He guessed wrong when he saw Mukuro hold the tear-stained Mukuro in his arms. He chuckled painfully when he realized that Tsuna must have fallen for her Guardians even more after that. However, it pained him to see her having to pull off that act to get Mukuro away from her. It hurt, but it was alright. If it was her, then he would accept it. Like he said before, he would rather be by her side than win her heart when she had her eyes one someone else, even if it hurt. Yes, even if hurt… even if it hurt, huh…<p>

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

The way Tsuna reacted to Mukuro's touches was definitely because she was hormonal. Note that no man had gotten that close to her before, well, like that. Even Enma knows his place with her. But she remained in control of herself. With so many directions, this could have taken place, it was hard to choose whether Mukuro should be allowed to be Tsuna's side if she hadn't done anything. The first version was really sweet but this one, I just knew that I had to portray that Tsuna is slowly acting unconsciously to her dream. That dream will eventually come true... She knows that she cannot always remain like that. She's a boss before she's a woman as well as duty before love, sadly, that's a reality of her life no matter how much she wanted to run away from it before.

If any are wondering how come Mukuro is acting so "sweet" to Tsuna, it's just that Mukuro has changed. Well, it has been ten years and he managed to get out of Vendice about five years ago, so a lot of things have happened. He considers Tsuna a toy, but he's concerned about her since he noticed that she's not as energetic as before but doesn't take it any further, thinking it's the pressure of the Mafia (Even if he knows psychology well, he is still a maniac who has his moments). Every now and then, he would come in and remove nightmares from Tsuna's mind to allow her some rest. However, when he does that, he does respect her privacy of her mind, so he does not dwell in places he should not be dwelling in even if it's tempting. Yeah, he's that nice now, which is good thing since he does not know of Tsuna's secret yet. But every now and then, he can't help but harass the young Vongola. She's just that fun to play with. In a way, Tsuna sees him like a mischievous cat. Sometimes, it'll be nice. Sometimes, it'll just want to annoy you.

Anyway, I would like to say thanks for those who have read. It would be nice if some of you reviewed, since it gives me boosts of encouragement. I'm just putting the suggestion out there, you know, haha. Thank you reading and look forward to the next chapter. Guess who comes in next chapter: someone big and scary! Haha.


	5. The Sky States Her Conditions

Inside the main meeting room, an uncomfortable silence enveloped around its four male occupants as they wanted for the Vongola Decimo to start the meeting she had called, if she ever got here, that is.

Enma placed himself in a seat near Tsuna's, which was located closest to the projector facing the circular table. After learning that she was going to have meeting with him of all people, he had insisted that he sit on the meeting as a witness, since it was a private meeting, one that even she did not consult Reborn about. He lifted his wrist watch close to his face, checking what time it was and wondering why Tsuna called for such a late meeting. Maybe it was the fact that mostly everyone in the building was asleep or that most of her Guardians were on a mission. Looking away from his wrist watch, he eyed the other three occupants, way of the aura that was surrounding them, well, mainly one of them.

The blonde prince placed himself a chair away from the frog-wearing hat illusionist. They both watched their boss have a glaring contest with the Shimon head sitting across from him. It was very clear who was winning, even though the other person was not participating whatsoever, but rather looking annoyed at being looked at. He had to be one of the first fools who did that to Xanxus and managed not to spark his rage.

Getting bored with the pointless glaring contest in front of him, Fran noticed Bel was polishing one of his knives, again. Did they really need to be that clean? Realizing that there was really nothing to do until the Decimo arrived, he thought it was best to annoy his sempai. What? With him on the brink of boredom, he needed something to pull him back to life. It had been three hours after all, sitting in this plain room with three other dangerous hitman, two of which that were bosses. Not exactly something he imagined himself to be in, but when his boss mentioned meeting the Decimo, he automatically raised his hand to tag along. Before Bel could question him on it, Fran just answered that he just wanted to see how the woman was doing. After being found by Tsuna, the Varia suddenly forced him to become the Varia's Mist Guardian until Mammon, or was it Viper, came back, he was stuck doing nothing until the Decimo offered to take him along on her secret missions. Those secret missions were mainly going out to have fun, but hey, he had something to do then poke himself with a knife, trying to see if he could feel or not. He could see how his boss secretly became closer to the Decimo due to her different yet welcoming personality, which was definitely taken for granted in this strange world they worked in. Hell, he would even fight Master to become her Mist Guardian. Yup, he rather be under her care than Xanxus's. Then again, that would just make her sad, so he decided against it. Pushing that aside, he turned his attention to the Storm Guardian.

"What?" Bel noticed that Fran was looking at him with that stupid expressionless face.

"Sempai, why are you even here? Don't you have to get your fake crown polished or something?" The young Mist Guardian mocked his senior in a monotonic voice. He could feel anger slowly seeping from his rather eccentric sempai's smile.

Bel stopped polishing his knives as a devious smile carved on his face despite the irritating feeling bubbling in him. Twirling the knives around with a finger, he smiled at the illusionist. "Uishishishi. Mind your own business, froggy. Don't tell me you want another one of my knives in your beloved face? Or is that you like being used as target practice?" The smile dropped from Bel's face as he glared at the expressionless male, pointing at him with his knives, signaling that he was serious. Sure, he was always up for Fran's joke. But it seriously getting late at night and he needed his precious sleep. The prince wanted his sleep, damnit. The handsome face of his needed its beauty sleep or else he would just end up like Levi… All angry and pissed off looking, something he was not looking forward to looking like.

Fran looked at his senior with the same expression. "Sempai, honestly, I rather have anything in my hat but I don't want anything of yours in me."

A smirk on Bel's face grew. Oh, the brat was throwing sexual innuendos at him now. "Uishishishi, I see you developed some humor now. How about we test if you know how to bleed now, huh?" When he was about to throw one of his knives at Fran, he immediately stopped when a bullet slipped past his face and impacted the wall, leaving behind a smoky trail. "Uishishishi, Boss saved you for now, but just you wait when we get home. You're going to scream for me to stop."

"Wa, Sempai is going to do this and that to me. Ew, how could you, Sempai?" Waving his hand pathetically at his sempai as if he was some pest he was trying to ward away, Fran watched Bel's reaction and heard a small snicker coming out of Enma's mouth. Really, that was too funny to say with that kind of voice with that facial expression.

Bel raised an elegant eyebrow at Fran. Just what was that damn Vongola illusionist teaching this kid? Practically everything that was thrown back at him was sexual related. Even if he was blood-thirsty bastard, he was still a prince; he still had some class in him.

"Shut it, trash. You're getting irritating. Do your yapping somewhere else. If any more crap comes out of your mouth, then I'm shooting that damn thing off." The Varia boss eyed his subordinates before closing his eyes once again. He was slowly becoming agitated. The damn woman was not even here yet and he needed his wine, now.

The door was suddenly swung open, making Enma slightly jump and the rest awake, all the while revealing a hunched-over panting Vongola Decimo. She looked up and noticed the evil eye Xanxus was giving her as well as the dangerous smirk Bel was throwing at her. "S-Sorry, I m-met some trouble along the way." Seriously, she needed to learn to get her way around or she was going to be late to every meeting if she took the same path again and again. She looked at the clock and her eyes widened. It was this late? She called for a meeting at nine and now it was twelve?

"What's more important than the meeting you called us to?" Bel peered at her through his golden blonde bangs. "You can't possibly have a possibly good reason to let the prince keep on waiting for a peasant such as yourself to arrive."

Tsuna glared at narcissistic blonde. "Unless you want to have a meeting in the cold Italian air, then be my guest." Noticing that the Varia Storm Guardian stopped complaining, Tsuna smiled to herself. Ha, that should keep him quiet for awhile, for now. Tsuna walked past the Mist Guardian, who gave her slight bow of the head, which Tsuna nodded to in return. After realizing that Xanxus was still glaring at her, she slightly winced at the intensity of it as she got into her seat.

Enma edged closer to the brunette, asking what really caused her to be late.

"Mukuro and Hibari were going at again… something about not standing to see each other's face or something. And I had to pull them apart before they wreck something precious again. This time, it would have been the Primo's family painting, something I do not want them to wreck at all." She rubbed her temples as she replayed the scene in her mind. "I don't see how they manage to pull off missions together…" She looked up and awkwardly smiled at Xanxus's gaze on her. Tsuna could not stop the uncomfortable feeling erupting in her due to the current position she was in. She had completely forgotten that she has a meeting with Xanxus today, but the meeting completely escaped her mind with everything going on and that thing with Hibari and Mukuro. However, she was relieved when Enma insisted on sitting on the meeting with her and the fact Fran was here. Some calmness to balance out the angry vibes coming out of Xanxus… Bel? She was not sure why he was here.

"Boss, I think your glare is making her very uncomfortable." The young male had no expression on his face, but due to the glare his boss shot him, he knew that he was aggravating the older man even more. "Boss, your glare is now making me uncomfortable."

Xanxus closed his eyes, trying to stop the temptation of creating bloodshed in the room. Lifting his legs and resting them on top of the table, he opened one eye and looked at the female sitting directly across from him. "So, what is it that you want from me, trash?"

Tsuna's eyes widened but they softened as she looked directly at Xanxus. "I want you to take over my place as Vongola Decimo in case something happens to me."

Xanxus looked at her with an eyebrow raised before howling in laughter. He, however, immediately stopped and glared at the brat in front of him. "Tch, seeing how you have to deal with all that paperwork, I will gladly say no to that."

Bel looked at the woman's direction. Clearly, with someone at the top of the hierarchy, they would not step down unless there was something wrong. Seeing that no one had objected her position, beside his boss, she was not being impeached or something. So… What brought this on? Thinking about on the lessons he took back at the palace, he suddenly remembered that usually when something like this happened, it meant that the ruler's health was deteriorating… Letting out a soft sigh when he came to his guess, he can see where this was going. He was not called a genius for nothing, after all.

Tsuna held her ground and looked at Xanxus seriously. "That was not a request. That was an order, Xanxus. I'm being serious."

An order? This was new. Xanxus placed his feet on the ground and looked at the woman. There was a catch. He knew something was up. "And, if I do take you up on your offer, what are the conditions?"

Tsuna sighed as she leaned back on her chair. "There are several conditions, a lot, actually." She let out a sigh before fumbling with hers fingers, trying to voice out the words she had practiced in her mind.

"In order to become my replacement as Vongola Decimo, you have to follow these five main conditions along with some others that I will tell you about later." Her eyes narrowed at the terms she had chosen.

"**One**… You are to train the future Vongola heir and Varia heir _of my choosing_. I will be choosing who they are and there would be no discussion of that." She knew that Xanxus was going to say something but she continued on anyway. "**Two**… The Shimon and the Varia will be the only ones who will train the heirs and their Guardians. Shimon will be in charge of the Vongola heir's upbringing and the Varia will be in charge of their heir, however, your heir must at least respect their Vongola counterpart. I do not want internal conflicts within the family and I request that they meet occasionally in order to avoid that."

Enma looked at her with questioning eyes. Why would the Shimon be in charge of the Vongola heir instead of her Guardians or Reborn? Wouldn't they have been a more perfect choice for that job?

"**Three**… You are allowed to change the Vongola in any way but, you are not allowed to lead it into corruption or further unneeded bloodshed. **Four**… You will all be under my wing until something happens to me to learn how I deal with the family and from there, you will deal with the family in your way. **Five**… You _will not kill_ the heirs I have chosen or reject their position. They will become the Vongola and Varia heir respectively. I do not want a repeat of what happened between us to happen between them."

Xanxus looked at her. Something was definitely up. There was no way that she was making this up without a reason. Even the previous boss did not come up with this kind of plan about inheritance. "Anything else before I start questioning you, trash?"

Tsuna nodded. "I need to talk to Xanxus and Fran alone." Before Bel or Enma could speak up, her eyes became dangerously threatening. "_Now_."

Enma looked at her with worried eyes but sighed as he left through the door with an oddly quiet Bel.

After hearing the door closed, Tsuna got out of her seat and sat closer to Xanxus, not wanting to talk so far away. She looked defeated as she took two seats away from the Varia boss. It was not that she was afraid of his presence when they were alone; it was just that she respected his tolerance for her. "Fran, be a dear, and go get Xanxus his drink and for me, some coffee. Go get something for yourself as well. It's going to be a long night after all."

Fran nodded and walked out of the door.

"So, what's wrong with you, brat?" Xanxus looked at her with a less intense gaze. After ten years working with one another, he managed to find himself tolerating the woman as well as her pathetic characteristics. It provided something different and she did not bug him on the way he did things and that was fine with him. Unused to such silence, he decided to ask questions. "Are you tired of the Mafia?"

There was a shook of her head.

"Are you on your period or something?"

A glare was shot in his direction, but there was still a shook of her head.

Xanxus was starting to get ticked off. Did she really want to play this game with her? "Are you love sick?" He noticed the brunette's eyes widened followed by a sad expression but she still shook her head. So, that was part of the reason for her tiredness. "Don't tell me you're going to die or something…" His eyes widened when he saw Tsuna giving him a weak smile.

Tsuna saw Xanxus's reaction and she did not blame him. Well, he was taking it better than she expected. She stretched in her chair as she placed her hands on the table. "I just found out a few days ago from Shamal. Haha, it felt so weird to hear that I'm not going to live as long as everyone else was despite this job. At first, I didn't want to believe it. But… thinking back, I found out that I brought this upon myself. I found it funny that I was going to be the youngest Vongola boss to die. Even Primo is going to live longer than me…" She could feel herself contort with emotions. She should not cry, she should not… Nevertheless, she could feel herself getting teary-eyed. Using a sleeve, she tried to wipe away her tears. It was no use.

Xanxus did not know what to say. He did not expect this. "Did you ask that idiot doctor if he could fix it or something? Even if he's useless to men, I'm sure he's up for saving you." He really did not know how to act in this kind of situation.

Tsuna shook her head. "It's a not exactly a disease he can easily fix. If I didn't have so many strange drugs in my body, then it would have been easy to fix. But then, I had to get injured with a strange bullet meant for one of my Guardians…" She covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. No one knew, except for a few chosen people, about what happened to her.

"What do you mean by that?" Xanxus looked at her with questioning eyes. "I know that you're not the type of person to be taking crap in like that in your body. You're not telling me something, aren't you?"

Tsuna wanted to laugh it off and say he did not need to know like she always did with her Guardians when they were concerned about her health, but this was Xanxus. When he wanted answers, he wanted them, now. No beating around the bush, since he would beat it out of her instead. "I…" Seeing that she was not going to escape this, she blurted out what happened a couple years ago when she was kidnapped.

"I think this happened when I just became Decimo. Being the airhead I am, I accidentally walked in an enemy's trap when they told me that they had Chrome captive. Oh, you should have seen me react when I heard about that. I went in without anyone for back-up. I was scared what they were going to do to her like they did with Mukuro… I did not want to her experience that… However, it turned out that Mukuro found Chrome a little too late since he did not get the message in time to me, so I ended up getting caught instead. At the time, everyone else was on missions to get used to it and Reborn was aiding Yamamoto with his mission. So I had no one to consult and Enma just got started with his family…"

Mukuro? What did that damn illusionist have to do with this? Wait, the girl illusionist was going to be treated like him, that was no way that could be true, unless… He shook his head, not wanting to getting confused. "Get to the point. You know I hate listening to details."

Tsuna nervously laughed as Fran entered the room with their drinks.

Seeing that there were tear stains on the Decimo's face, Fran looked at his boss. "Boss, how dare you make the Decimo cry? What kind of man are you? Wait til I tell Luss-sempai about this. You're going to get such an earful." He placed the drinks on the table, shaking his head in mock disappointment, as Tsuna sorted them out as a soft giggle escaped her lips, earning both of them a glare.

"No, don't do that, Fran. I made myself cry. No need to to tell Lussaria." Tsuna noticed the tensed muscles in Xanxus loosened. Look at this, Xanxus was actually scared of someone. Well, Lussaria being angry was not a pretty sight, not a pretty sight at all, seeing that his usual personality was already extreme.

She waited as Fran took a seat beside her, sipping his drink that seemed to be hot chocolate. How cute. Taking the cup of warm coffee into her hand as she handed Xanxus a glass filled with freshly poured wine, she continued her story. Her next words made Fran's eyes widened greatly.

"The family that I held me captive was the Estraneo…"

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><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Whoo, I got some more reviews. I was so happy that I decided to leave it off the ending of the chapter as a cliffhanger. No, I'm not trying to mean. I just wanted to see how you would react. Doesn't cliffhangers usually excite you? Haha, for me, they do. Especially those of Pandora Hearts... Ooh, those cliffhangers just want you to beg for more, it's like "what the heck just happened", making you all excited for more and when you get to the end of the chapter, you're like "what? that's it? why isn't there more? why, why must you antagonize me?" I just love that series, it really picked up after the headhunter arc and I'm like "ooh, I'm in love."

This is TYL, that's why the Varia are more lax... That's the thing about adults, when they're young, they're energetic until they get older when they realize each action has a benefit or a consequence to. Though it looks like the Varia members seem OOC. Yes, I love Fran so much. He's one of my favorite characters. He's so unusual, but that's what makes him, well, him. Yup, he loves Tsuna, well, more in a friend way. She helped him when he was down, no, he was thinking about suicide, I rarely write about that since it's a very emotional topic, and will only use it if the story calls for it and this story does not.

Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing. Please continue to do so. The more I get, the more I get happy and try to update more frequently. Thank you once again, and please look forward to the next chapter.


	6. The Sky Tells Her Past Tale

**WARNING**: If you have a queasy stomach, a very imaginative mind, or just does not like anything related to death or blood, please try to avoid reading this chapter. I'll supply a quick description about it in the next chapter. I've noticed that there are mistakes, many many grammar, sentence structure, tense, etc. mistakes... I'm terribly sorry for that but please do enjoy.

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><p>Locks of caramel brown hair were draped over shaking shoulders, hanging loosely in the air as iridescent tears hit the ground. Her head would jerk back every now and then whenever she choked back a sob. She covered her mouth with one hand, using the other to hold her wrist. She had to hold back the urge to vomit. The intoxicating fumes entered her nose, almost making her gag with each breath she took. Her once chocolate brown eyes were now drained of any color, a dull brown in return as they shrank back against her skull. This was too much for her to handle. Slowly looking up to see what was around her, her eyes widened when they lay upon the corner diagonal from her.<p>

The environment around her was not helping her situation at all. Electrical wires were cut, loose with spark whippings back and forth in the air like wild fireworks. The light would flicker on and off, lighting the hallways with a haunting glow. In that corner… bodies of dead children were laid on top of each other, tossed upon each other like a sack of potatoes. Their blood flowed downward, moving through the cracks of the floor, slowly itching their way toward her feet. Young faces were scrunched up in horror, eyes rolled back in their sockets, wide open with evident expressions of pain etched on their faces.

Tsuna let out a scream when she realized what that pile was. Whimpers followed behind as she covered her mouth in shock. Her body moved backwards until it hit the other wall of the room she was in. Her body started to tremble violently, her hand once again tried to stop the puke from coming out of her mouth. It did not help her situation when the light suddenly turned off, enveloping her and the dead children in the pure darkness created by the night. There was single window with ebony black bars surrounding it, preventing her potential escape route. Soon, the only source of the light, the full moon, peaked over the changing clouds, illuminating the room with a serene glow, but then it made it worse for Tsuna. The light reached the children's faces and it made her cry again. Those eyes were wide open, as if they were aching to see the light, only to have their souls roam earthbound to this world forever, unknown of their final fate.

She sobbed to herself quietly, not wanting to give her captors joy in capturing her. That was what they wanted, for her to experience pain. This was not pain; this was torture, just pure torture. She wanted to stretch out her hand to close those children's eyes to at least let them sleep, but her body could not move. Her right hand gripped the collar of her shirt as her hand held her stomach, she bended over with her head touching the ground. Fear was already coursing through her veins and pounding in her chest. It hurt so much. This world was so cruel, so cruel.

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><p>The brunette was rudely awaken by a bucket of freezing cold water thrown over her body, soaking her from head to toe, allowing her clothes to stick to her skin like glue. A gentle breeze entered the room which further antagonized her current state. She glared at the people before her but hissed when they suddenly pulled her out of the cell by her hair, yanking at her roots if she did not move. A hiss escaped her lips when her aching muscles screamed for her to stop moving. Apparently, stiff muscles did not mix well with cold water. Tsuna glared at each of them when they began to bind her wrists together with a dry rope, seeing that she was unable to move her arms as well as before. When they finished tying her up, she tried to pull her wrists out of the binding, only to have them experienced more pain as each pull made it tightened and her wrists only got redder.<p>

"Heh, who knew the Vongola Decimo would be such a cutie? I wonder how you'll look like when you're older. Then again, it's too bad we can't since we have to break you." The woman, standing in front of her, smirked at the glaring brunette. "Oh, that's not a bad look in your eyes." She lowered herself to Tsuna's level, lifting the younger girl's chin in her hand, tilting it back and forth to get a good look before placing it back in place. "Let's see how you'll last though. Don't worry. I'll be the one in charge of experimenting on you until you break, that is." A devious smile graced itself on the woman's face as she let go of Tsuna's face, turning to one of her men in the room. "Tie her up to the wall and strap her in well. I don't want to lose this one."

Tsuna flinched in response to the rope on her hands being ripped away violently as if it was some string. Before she could run, she was suddenly slammed up against the wall, a heavy gasp leaving her mouth. With no moment to spare, her arms were strapped to the wall, holding her up against the wall while her feet hanged loosely in the air. Instead of glaring at the woman, Tsuna smirked; she had been in worst situations before. Little did she know that in those times she had been kidnapped before, Reborn was actually watching behind the scenes. This time, Reborn was not here to help her or lead anyone to her.

The woman scowled when she saw Tsuna smirked. "You think is funny, huh? How about I wipe that off your face for you?" She walked over one of the table on the side, picking up a syringe. A smile replaced her scowl as she lovingly gazed at the needle glistening in the sunlight.

Tsuna could have sworn she heard the woman squeal.

Pushing it a little bit, a small amount of unknown liquid squirted out of the needle. She turned to face Tsuna and was delighted to see that some color was drained from Tsuna's face. "See this? I was not going to put this in you until later, but you know, you seem like a tough girl to handle it. How about we start the Estraneo's new experiment?

Tsuna's eyes widened at the sound of the name. "Estraneo? I thought Mukuro destroy–!" Before she could finish her question, she let out a loud hiss when the needle was suddenly inserted into her skin, injecting the substance into her bloodstream. "What the hell!"

The woman smirked at Tsuna's reaction. "What? You were asking for it."

Tsuna bit back a growl as the woman continued to smirk at her. However, she started to feel something swim through her body. She squirmed as her body felt random jabs as if needles were poking at her constantly, making her wince since it would get stronger with each second passing. Her body soon felt warm, very warm; soon it was getting hot, like she was on fire. Her wet clothes started to feel tight on her body, making her feel heavy. Ignoring the additional pain and weight, she glanced at the woman. "Where's Chrome?"

The woman eyed Tsuna, realizing that she was not joking. "Haha, you're serious? That girl was tied up and tossed into an empty warehouse. You are a stupid girl, aren't you? If you haven't notice, you're in the big leagues now. Your tutor and your Guardians are not always going to save you in time."

"Where's Chrome?" Tsuna bit her lip. She knew that the woman was telling the truth, the inevitable truth. She had to grow up and stop relying on other to find her. She can no longer be the damsel in distress. She did not know how to act, then she would end up dead.

The woman glanced at the brunette, sighing, as she walked out. "She's safe. I've just been notified that she was retrieved by your Mist Guardian a couple hours ago. It's a pity that they haven't realized that you're missing." She noticed the surprised look in Tsuna's eyes and howled in laughter. "You really are a stupid girl! Coming in to get back your Guardian, all angry like a feisty feline, only to get caught in a trap? You really are a stupid girl! You're going to get killed before you even start! Hahaha!"

Her muscles were still tensed even when the woman had left the room. The sound of her laughter still rang in her ears. She was really stupid, huh… She should have already realized it. She really could not rely on the others to save her every time. That would just be taking them for granted. Her mind weaved in and out of consciousness as the injection took effect on her body. Barely hanging on to keep her eyes open, she sighed before she let the darkness take her. Not even a year on the job and she was already on the brink of death.

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><p>It was torture for her mind and her body. She grew to hate needles with a passion, so much that she would probably try to attack anyone who gets near her with it. Every time that damn object entered her skin without permission, it was followed by a glare and a smack across her cheek. "W-What are you putting inside of me?"<p>

The woman looked at Tsuna before putting the syringe down. "I guess I can tell you." She took off her gloves and sat down on a chair, facing Tsuna, smiling at the pain she was putting the girl through. "You're going to be like Shamal."

"Sh-Shamal? What does he have to do with this?" Tsuna tried to keep herself awake, but every time they did this to her, she felt her energy was leaving her body more quickly than ever.

"You know how he balances out diseases or sicknesses in his body with its counterpart? Well, I'm testing out that on you but with drugs." Her smile grew when she saw Tsuna's eyes widened. "You probably think I'm being inhumane, aren't you? Too bad for you, I don't care what happened to my toys. If they break, they break. If they live, well, that just gives me results, doesn't it?"

"Why use children?"

A deformed crooked smile found itself looking at Tsuna as a crazed laugh escaped the woman's lips. "They're much easier to deal than adults: less defiant and more willing. Oh, and that look of hope in their eyes when I give them empty promises. Don't they seem to be the perfect toys to play with?"

This woman was definitely a twisted version of Verde. Curiosity was a dangerous characteristic to have, especially for scientists who take that to the point of obsession. Tsuna tried to lunge forward to hit the woman, who was now standing in front of her, for saying such a thing, but her restraints pulled her back. She let out a growl. Once she got out of here, this woman was going to get it for sure.

The woman looked at Tsuna with disgust. The child had not realized the predicament she was in. "You're still fighting? I thought I told you it's pointless." Soon, a lax smile crept its way on her face. "Then again, it shows that life is still pumping through your veins." Her eyes narrowed with interest. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you."

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><p>The woman finally had enough of Tsuna acting defiant, since the girl managed to land a blow on her face when they untied her knots. Her hand rose to her face to touch the spot and winced when the lightest touch sent pain throughout the left side of her face. It was best to teach that girl a lesson and this one was going to be good. "Throw her in."<p>

Tsuna felt her body be flung forward, shutting her eyes on instinct. The impact she was waiting for was cushioned by something hard yet soft, warm yet cold. Slowly, she opened her eyes, widening at the sight before her. A scream escaped her throat as she tried to climb out of the pile of dead children in her cell. She let out a whimper as her hand felt the decaying flesh below her, scrambling to get out of the pile. Fresh tears fell from her eyes. Her body trembled as she tried to get out the pile. She felt turmoil in her body, feeling disgusted to touch such things, yet she was injuring their bodies, trying to get out of it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She kept repeating that phrase aloud when her weight would suddenly crush one of the bodies, making her wince and scream. When she finally got out of the pile, she looked back and choked back a sob.

It was a horrendous scene. It would be forever engraved her body and mind. Their eyes seemed to be focused on her. Their mouths opened, silent screams escaping out of their body when she crushed them below her weight. Her eyes traveled down on her clothes and cried when there was fresh stains of crimson that were not her own. She grabbed her hair and tried to calm herself down. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." This was too much. Herbody rocked back and forth between sobs as she curled up in a fetal position.

The woman laughed and laughed at the brunette's reaction. She was finally breaking apart. Her mind would soon try to deny the reality before her like the children and start pretending this was all a dream. Ha, some dream this was. This was a nightmare, one that she controlled with her very hands. "Does it hurt, Decimo? Being thrown into that pile that you pity and yet they seem to blame you for giving them more pain, does it hurt?"

"Shut up, you sick person!" She tried to cover her ears when the woman's laugh grew louder, threatening to cut the last couple strings of her sanity. She tried to get rid of the blood on her face, but the more she rubbed her face with the back of her hands, the blood just smeared across her face mixed with her salty tears.

"Me sick? You poor child. If you're wondering who is more of a monster, then I would be pointing fingers at you. You are the boss of a family that has stained its hands ever since its creation. Soon, you too will be no better than me." She left the girl alone to collect her thoughts with her subordinate following behind her.

Tsuna shot the person's back a glare, one full of hate and disgust, a look that had her flame slowly flickering in. Her spirit was still there, just barely there.

"Are you sure it was alright to leave her like that? Shouldn't we have locked her up?" The bulky male looked down at the woman as she glanced back at Tsuna with amusement dancing in her eyes.

The woman laughed at his ridiculous question. "Look at her. It won't be before long when she finally cracks."

Tsuna managed to calm herself down as she slowly tried to get back on her feet. This could not be the end, not yet. Sluggishly getting up, her body swayed side to side with little energy left in her body. "I-I have to get out of here." The door to her cell was open; it was her last chance of escaping. However, before she could take a step forward, her eyes widened when she started coughing violently. Her knees hit the ground while her head barely made contact with the floor. She grabbed at her stomach while her other hand was covering her mouth. Her eyes rolled back and she puked. Tsuna shuddered at the smell but her stomach spewed out everything she was forced to eat just to keep herself alive, rejecting all of it. When she was finally done, her eyes once again widened when she looked down. There was blood, so much blood. Just what have they done to her? She shook her head. She had to snap out of it. There was a chance in front of her and she was not letting it go. She leaned against the wall as support as she slowly walked to the door, her muscles yelling at her to stop but she did not. She kept on walking until her foot finally made it out of the door. However, as if the gods were playing with her, her body could not take it anymore and fell forward from exhaustion. She struggled to keep her eyes open while she tried to push herself off the ground. The result let to her body falling back down. Her eyes gave up and stopped opening. No, not now; not when she was so close.

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><p>Tsuna was rudely awakened, however this time; it was not caused by the usual splash of freezing cold water. A small child was thrown at her, ten years old or so, catching her immediate attention. The boy had beautiful light green turquoise hair with some loose bangs covering eyes of the same color. He had a marking beneath each of his eyes, making him look all the more unique. But the thing that caught her attention was that he was shivering a lot. "What did you do to him?" She glared at the woman who smirked at her. Something was off. This woman was not that nice to let a child live.<p>

The woman laughed at Tsuna's expected reaction. "I just tweaked around with his body but then I lost interest. You're allowed to treat him in whatever way you want. I have no use for him anymore."

Tsuna looked down at the child, his hands grabbing on her clothes tightly. Her mouth opened to say something, but her lips formed a thin line in attempt to keep her calm as she glared at the woman. "What's the catch? I know what kind of person you are and you're doing something out of character. Don't make me laugh if you trying to say that you grew a heart."

The woman shrugged as she turned around to go back to her office. "It's the least I could do since I'm his mother."

Chocolate brown eyes widened. His mother? She looked down at the child; his face showed no expression but his grip on her clothes tightened. Her maternal instincts took over as she held the child closer to her body, whispering words on comfort in his ear. "I'm here for you now."

The boy huddled closer to Tsuna's body. She was so warm and her touch was so gentle and caring unlike his mother's cold personality.

Whenever Tsuna was thrown back into her cell at night, the boy would silently walk over to her side and huddled closer whenever she lost conscious from the day's experiment. But when she did manage to get back awake, she would try to get the boy to open up to her but he never said anything. He just looked at her with dead eyes and an expressionless face. She would bite back a sad smile every time when the boy would ignore her questions and huddle against her for the night.

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><p>A warm smile finally graced her lips when the boy finally told her his name after so long. She noticed that there was a light blush dusting the boy's cheeks, complimented with a small shy smile. She decided against teasing him, not wanting to ruin the moment. Before she could bring him into her arms, the door to her cell was suddenly slammed open, making the both of them jump in surprise. Her eyes stared in shock at the person who tossed a recognizable object directly at the boy's body. Her fears were confirmed when the boy started to shake violently.<p>

His eyes widened at the eyes looking back at his own, as fresh blood soaked into his clothes. Immediately, he shut his eyes. His skin shuddered at the feeling of cold flesh touching his own, making him tremble. His hands found its way to his hair, pulling at his roots when he start to breathe hard, accidentally taking in the smell of the body, almost making him gag. Slowly, he opened his eyes, shock glued him in place as dead eyes bore into his own, staring into him, into his soul.

With new found energy, Tsuna rushed over to the boy's side and regretfully threw the corpse aside from him. She took him in her arms, trying to calm him down, wondering if his mind broke or not from such an experience. "I'm here. I'm here." Noticing that he stopped shaking violently, she glared at the woman who was standing at the door, looking bored. "Why did you have to do that? Aren't you his mother?" She barked at the woman, making the boy flinch in her arms as she held him closer.

The woman only laughed before her eyes narrowed on her son. "It's his punishment for disobeying me." She shot him a glare, making him detach himself from Tsuna, shrinking back against the wall, scared of his mother's disappointing gaze. "He had one thing to do and that that was to kill you." She saw Tsuna look at the child in shock. "Why did you think he was getting close to you in the night? You thought he was cold? I tweaked with his body so he made it so he won't feel pain. How does it feel to experience betrayal, Vongola Decimo?" She smirked when she saw the surprised look in Tsuna's eyes but was shocked to see that they had softened.

Tsuna looked at the child with soft eyes. "Is that true?"

The boy looked at her, puzzled why she was not getting mad for hearing that. He stiffened when Tsuna got close and pulled him close to her chest, crying on top of his head with her tears falling on his face. "Why aren't you mad?"

Tsuna let out a cracked laugh as she hugged the boy tighter. "Who do you think I am? I already knew this was going to happen. I'm not mad at all. I'm actually happy, since you made me happy just by being by my side." She let go of the boy, a bit surprised when he looked at her with shocked eyes, only to make her rub her cheek against his. "Thank you."

When her arms were no longer around his body, he tried to reach out to stop her from going. He dropped his hand when he saw a beautiful orange flame on top of her mind. He could feel a strange calm yet peaceful aura surrounding her. Before he could call out to her, he stopped midway when he saw her looking at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry." Time stopped for him when she spoke those words. He was supposed to be the one to say those words to her, not the opposite away around. Time started moving once again when he realized that she now after his mother, likely to kill her. He let out a choked laugh. What was this sad feeling inside of him? Sad that his mother was about to die? Maybe. Sad that Tsuna had to stain her kind hands to protect him. Yes. He allowed his tears to flow forth as he followed the sounds of his mother's heels hitting against the ground.

* * *

><p>"How could you use your son like that?" Tsuna growled as each step she took forward, the woman would back up one step. "He has your blood, your flesh. He was brought into this life by you. Don't you feel anything for him?"<p>

The woman smiled at Tsuna's simple mindset. This girl was really too pure. "So? Doesn't that give me the right when he should live or die? That child was not even meant to be born. Since it was me who brought him into this world, I thought I might as well use him. To think that you were able to get him to show emotions, you really are something, Vongola Decimo."

Tsuna ran towards the woman, jumping on the woman, knocking her off of her feet. Both were on the ground with the woman smiling at Tsuna as Tsuna's tears fell on her face. "You're a sick person, you know that?"

The woman shrugged. "Aren't you the same?" Her eyes became serious as she stared at Tsuna. "Don't always think people are nice as they seem. This is the Mafia, child. You won't meet others like me. They won't be as merciful. And you're going to end up like me. Watching everyone die in front of you and one day, you're going to break, be it mentally or physically."

Tsuna let out a regretful laugh since she knew that was true. "Thanks for warning. It's too sad that we couldn't have been friends."

The woman looked at Tsuna with a raised eyebrow, amusement dancing in her eyes before her final demise. "You really are a strange person, Decimo."

Seeing that the woman was ready, Tsuna took out a shard of glass that she kept in hiding, just in case she had a chance to escape. "This is going to hurt, you know?"

A sad laugh left the woman's mouth. "You're really are a stupid girl." She closed her eyes, waiting for Tsuna to finish her.

For the first time in Tsuna's life, she stained her hands with blood. She wished she could have finished off the woman more quickly than to be repeatedly stabbed, but there was nothing else that would have worked. Her blood was mixed with that of the woman's. The touch of opening flesh touching her stained hands, again and again, made her wonder how different it would have felt if she had a gun. Instead of feeling warm blood on her hands, she would have felt a cold metallic object in her hand, her hand probably shaking from the aftershock. She wondered if that was reason how come Reborn used a gun. It was cleaner and faster way to kill. It felt weird when she stabbed the woman. Tears ran down her cheeks in thin streams, as she looked at the woman who had a small smile on her face, tears also flowing from her eyes. She tossed the shard of glass to the side, figuring the woman would die from blood loss. "Did you really hate your son…"

The woman muttered something as she mumbled over her words, her eyelids slowly closing.

Tsuna turned around, her eyes wide with shock, taking in what the woman said. She finally realized what the woman did when she gave her son to her. "You–!" But it was too late. The all too familiar look of death loomed over the woman as she gave out her last breath, her eyes soon closing. "You… really are a sick person…"

Tsuna looked at her hands and laughed. She laughed and laughed until her laughs became sobs. She cried her heart out for so many reasons created by being here. She hugged herself as she cried. Her cries echoed throughout the building. She lifted her head when she heard the pitter patter of little feet stop in front of her. She weakly lifted her head and sadly smiled at the child in front of her. "Hey there."

The boy slowly walked closer to her. His feet stopped moving when he saw his mother's dead body. He felt something tug in his heart but shook it off. Slowly, tears formed and fell to the ground. He did not understand. How come he was crying? He did not get it. No child would be happy if they saw their mother dead, whether they were neglectful or not. They were people who brought them into this life, so there was a faint sign of attachment there. Maybe it was because his mother allowed him to live, live long enough to meet this person who was so warm… That must be the reason.

Tsuna slowly got up and kneeled in front of the child, using a hand to wipe a tear away. She grimaced when she got blood on his face. She placed a hand on his head, her eyes focusing on something. When she opened them, the boy was unconscious in her arms. Tsuna smiled warmly at the child as she collapsed on the ground, her arm placed protectively over the child. "Welcome to the family, Fran…"

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Wow, I was so shocked to have so many reviews that I kept on typing and typing out my ideas for this flashback chapter, though it got a bit slow in the end. So was it a surprise? Yeah? Yeah? Haha, really, did you enjoy it? I was torn between Tsuna going on a rampage or Tsuna acting like she did in the chapter. I was like what should I do. But then, I thought, I needed something relevant to pull Fran on her side as well as how Tsuna found him since he'll be needed in later chapters and I just don't want to stick him in there just because I like him. I would feel bad then. Anyway, the thing about Fran's mother, that was an OC I created, thus, her name was "the woman" since it would have taken a longer time for this update. When I pick out names, I want their name to reflect what kind of person they are and picking out a name for "the woman" would have taken too long. Then again, her name might appear in the next chapter. Depends on my mood, haha.

If there are those who are confused about Tsuna's relationship with "the woman", it's actually rather simple. This was Tsuna's official kidnapping without Reborn watching over her, well, in this story. She's always getting saved in the end and she'll end up taking that for granted... I wanted to put Tsuna in a situation where she has to fight for herself, to continue to live on for another day. She often gives up, but if she pushes herself to do it, then she can get it done. Without knowing it, she learns from "the woman" about the world she has just entered: the Mafia. "The woman" is always saying that Tsuna is a stupid girl for falling for such a trap, that she's surprisingly defiant, that she's too nice, that she's someone different... By having Tsuna actually experience it and hearing it from others than hearing it from Reborn and mock kidnapping, Tsuna learns that this world is not as pleasant as she thought it would be, but she's willing to take a risk to change it. "The woman" is more like mentor to Tsuna and if they were not on opposite sides, then maybe, just maybe, they would have gotten along really well.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Like I said before, the more reviews I get, the more I feel like I have to write to satisfy myself and my readers. After reading the reviews I got, you could not believe how happy I got. I was happy and still am since I was told that they wanted to read more and really like my story. It really boosts my self-esteem since it's so low thus good writing at dark themes... Anyway, please continue to review and look forward to the next chapter.


	7. The Sky Tells Her Past Tale II

Her body suddenly lunged forward, being pulled midway out of her bed by some unknown force, resulting in her to awake from her long state of slumber. Unfamiliar to where she was, her eyes darted left and right, up and down, near and far, corner to corner all the while trying to absorb what was around her. There was an unsettling feeling in her stomach, a very bitter one, making her feel very uncomfortable. She knew that she was forgetting something, something important, something that should never be forgotten but she could not quite put her finger on it. Eyebrows were knitted together in frustration, trying to pry her tired mind for answers, for anything that may explain the strange shock paralyzing her entire body. Realizing that panicking was not the solution to go with, she closed her eyes, trying to force herself to think calmly; rash thinking would lead to nothing but mistakes. Soon her memories of the incident soon flowed into her mind like a gentle tide until it flew at her as a sudden tsunami. Her mind went blank as her body moved on its own until it fell off the bed and onto the wooden floor. Color was drained from her face when she finally remembered everything that happened to her before she blacked out.

From when she was kidnapped to the pile of corpses in her cell… Their wide eyes and their silent screams… The daily injections by that woman… The pain as well as the blood…

Her eyes widened when she looked down at her trembling hands which were wrapped in white bandages. It all came back to her, remembering what she had done last with them. Her mind started playing her like a puppet as the images in her mind became reality in her eyes. Imaginary blood slowly seeped through the white material, forcing a scream out of her dry throat. Tears fell onto the ground as her nails clawed at the bandages, ripping them apart and breaking open old wounds as well as creating new ones. Her hands… They kept on getting redder and darker with that think crimson substance, mocking her with its realistic complexion. "No… No… No…" Her nails dug deeper, wanting to rid of the blood in her hands, ignoring the obvious pain she was causing herself, not realizing that she was trying to stop herself from crying. She slowly allowed her bloody hands to wrap around herself to stop her from shaking in fear, her blood staining the clothes she was in. "No… No… No…" Her mind was slowly cracking.

Her mind was fighting with her body as well as her own heart, doing what it wanted without her consent. She knew that what happened before was real, all of it was real. It happened. It was done. Nothing could be done about it. Time would not turn back for her. There was no second chance. However, that was just one time. There would plenty of times in the future. She knew that. Then, why were her mind and her body rejecting that fact? Was she scared? Yes. Scared that she will have to kill again. Scared that killing might become enjoyable. Scared that she would become happy because of another's pain. Scared that hurting others will become a guilty pleasure. Scared that she may forget herself one day. Scared that she may never return to who she once was. Unable to put herself at ease anymore, fear-filled chocolate brown eyes became dull, scarce of any life, scarce of any emotions, tinted with small specks of hope.

Several minutes later, sounds of feet rushing against the wooden floor in a hurry was heard throughout the hallway as they brought their owner to where the brunette was resting in. Her chest moved up and down, strands of ebony black hair falling in front of her face, as she tried to catch her breath after running when she heard the scream. Red eyes hastily scanned the room until they landed on the body on the ground, widening as they took in the sight.

The brunette was sitting there lifeless like her soul was taken out, but she was still breathing. Her body leaned against the door for support as blood flowed downward from her hands, bandages tossed aside and red. Hands and nails were painted red as well. It was not difficult to figure out what just took place in the room.

"This is not good." Her eyes narrowed when the memory of the brunette entered her mind once again as she picked up her pace, driving herself to where her boss, to notify him of what she just saw. The brunette was not going to recover as fast as they planned, especially if she looked that broken. "Not good at all."

* * *

><p>"Tsuna, you have to eat something." Worried crimson eyes looked at the emotionless brunette, who stared at the bowl of warm soup soullessly. The steam gradually rose from the liquid food, its aroma wafting in her nose, but she paid no heed to it.<p>

Fresh bandages were bounded around her hands after she was knocked unconscious yet again by one of his Guardians, in attempt to stop her from scratching her wounds when she caught scratching at them again. It had been three weeks since she woke up from her slumber. Ever since then, the once smiling brunette has lost herself somewhere. She was allowed to move around the house, only to wander around mindlessly. The emotionless girl would then be found scratching at her wounds while her mind was in hysterics, screaming and crying for it to stop bleeding even though it never did in the beginning. When they tried to get her to talk, her lips would form a tight, thin line like seal to keep her words to herself as if she did not want anyone to know what she was thinking. Everyone was worried about her even the cold-hearted Adelheid was trying to warm up to the girl. She would barely eat and sometimes when she did, she would throw it back up before laughing weakly to herself.

He knew that she still there, fighting whatever was holding her back, mostly likely herself. There were signs, for example, when his Guardians would speak to her, her eyes would light up every now and then. He just knew that she was going to come back. "Please try to eat something." His voice pleaded to her, but it remained unheard. He sighed as he slowly pushed the chair back to get up. He had to meet with Adelheid about what was going on the Vongola's side. They still did not know that Tsuna had gone through an actual kidnapping and was experimented on. They thought she was negotiating with them and decided to stay with them for half a year, leaving her duties to the previous head, Vongola Nono. He knew the truth and agreed to pick up his old occupation until Tsuna was able to act normal once again. Enma told himself that he was not going to intervene with getting Tsuna back, but this was taking too long and they were running out of time. He did not want to force Tsuna back since it might be bad for her mentality but if nothing else works, then he will do it even if there was a chance that she might resent him later on. Just what though? That child? No, that would be too cruel. Growling in frustration, he left the room, not noticing the dull brown eyes looking at his retreating figure.

The same pair of eyes looked down at the bowl set in front of her, freshly made by one of Enma's Guardians. Hesitantly, her hand moved away from her side and picked up a silver spoon. With a part of the spoon rested in her hand, it slowly made its way to the bowl, wavering along the way. Soon, with a spoonful of soup, the spoon found its way to her mouth, the warm liquid moving down her tired throat, warming her body. However, she knew that her stomach had rejected it when her eyes rolled back and her hands flew to cover her mouth in order stop the substance from coming back up. When the food finally went back down, a sigh escaped her lips, dropping the spoon on the ground. She tilted her head to look out the window; a small frown adorned her face. She was finally fighting back, but the question was what type of person would appear in the end.

* * *

><p>The Vongola head finally cracked, but in a way that no one expected her to. She finally started speaking again, but it was blunt and hurtful. Her actions were the complete opposite of what she originally believed in. Enma had found her throwing rocks at an injured bird, laughing at its misery. His heart clenched when he saw that look of malign joy in her eyes, something he never wanted to see. Her cruel laugh rang in his ears while he closed his eyes from the scene.<p>

"What do you think you're doing?"

Enma's eyes opened when he heard Tsuna raised her voice at something, turning to see who she was yelling at. To his surprise, it was that boy.

Fran looked at the female in front of him, recognizing her as the person who was kidnapped and experimented on by his mother, but there was no trace of her warmth in her eyes. At first, he did not want to believe that this person was her. She would not do something so cruel to an inferior creature. However, when he had a good look at her, he understood why she was acting in such a way. Her personality was caused by the side effects of drugs injected into her. Without telling him, he knew that she was tired and hurt, like she gave up and was taking it out on the world. He looked down at her arms, his eyes narrowing at the wounds that still have not healed. "Why are you hurting this creature?"

Tsuna raised an eyebrow at the question before smirking. She got up from where she was sitting and walked over to where he was standing in front of the injured creature. She stopped in front of him, bending her knees a bit to meet him at his eyes. A twisted smile formed on her lips. "As you can see, the bird can barely fly. Even if someone tried to fix its wing, it won't properly fly again. It's better off dead than suffering." Amusement replaced the shock in her eyes when Fran talked back to her.

"Then, why don't you just kill it instead of it letting it suffer even more?"

"I'm a hypocrite. Every human is a hypocrite. Besides, what's the fun in just killing it right away? Don't you want to see how it'll cry out in torture before its life extinguishes?"

Fran's eyes narrowed when she said those words. Those words would have been something his mother would have said. Who was this person in front of him? Was this really the person who held him so warmly? Shaking his head to rid of unneeded thoughts, he looked at her with bored eyes, the same eyes he looked at when they first met. "You're a sick person, you know that?"

Shock ran through every part of her body before her body moved forward and tackled Fran to the ground, while the bird safely limped away during their conversation. She growled at the boy below her, her hands calmly wrapped around his neck. One move, which was all it took to end his life. "And how would know you that?"

He looked at her with bored eyes and an expressionless face again. "You're acting like her, like my mother."

Her hands suddenly tightened around his neck, making him flinch from the sudden pressure, not the pain. She let out a bitter laugh. "Your mother was right. You really can't feel pain, can you?" She smirked when Fran reacted to her question. Her eyes, on the other hand, darkened when she brought her hand forward across his cheek. "Don't every say that I'm like her."

"You are like her." Another slap came across his face, this time on the other cheek. His cheek became red but it did not hurt. It hurt deep inside though, making him slightly uncomfortable with the strange feeling created in him. "It's a fact. You're becoming her."

A growl escaped her lips as she brought down her hand again and slapped him harder. Her hand stung as her old wounds opened up again. She looked down and realized that she got her blood on his cheeks. Her pupils dilated in shock, but anger soon flared in her. "I'm not her! I won't become her and I'll never be!" It came out sounding more of a command to her rather than a statement.

Fran saw something flicker in her eyes. Was that… No, he should not jump to conclusions. If this was going to work like the redhead said, then he had to do it to the end or nothing would be fixed and left broken. "And? What makes you different from her? You laughed at someone's pain. You treat people horribly. You push away people who care about you. You're having someone else go through pain solely for your entertainment. What makes you so different?" For the first time in life, his words came out faster and louder, livid with so many emotions.

Tsuna looked down at Fran with dark eyes and a scowl. "So, you think you know your mother? You really think you know your mother?" She saw him nod, only to make her bark at him. "You've been protected by your mother this whole time, Fran!" She saw the surprised look in Fran's eyes and laughed. "What? You didn't know? She knew what she was putting herself through and that she was going to pay for it in the end. But then, you had to come along, someone who shouldn't have been born. Why? You would end up getting involved and treated like a criminal as well. Knowing that you did not have the will to kill someone who treated you so warmly for the first time, she knew that you were going to disobey her anyways. By placing you beside me, it was easier to see that you were just a victim rather than an accomplice. You know what was so surprising about that woman? She actually told me to take care of you before she died. She thought about you before she died. Could you believe that? Someone like her actually had a heart. Who knew such people existed?"

Fran's eyes widened, allowing her words to sink in. His mother actually cared for him? His whole life, he had always wondered if his mother he knew that he existed. So when she actually told him to kill Tsuna, there was a bittersweet feeling inside of him. His mother actually noticed he was there, but she only wanted to use him and to be thrown away later. At the time, he did not know to react, so he did what his mother told him to do. However, when he found out that the person he was suppose to kill was so warm, he could not do it; he could not kill her. Now, to be actually told that his mother actually tossed him away so he would not get involved with her wrongdoings… A warm feeling bubbled inside of him.

Then a blanket of silence wrapped over the two. Tsuna looked into Fran's eyes. Fran looked into Tsuna's eyes. Each person was trying to figure out the other. His lips slightly curled upward only to make the brunette angry.

"Why are you smiling like that? You shouldn't be smiling… You shouldn't be looking at me like that…" Tsuna wanted to bring her hand down once again, but something held her back. She bit her bottom lip in frustration. Why was he looking at her so kindly…? She did not deserve it.

Fran looked at her. "Why can't I? She let me meet someone like you. I should be glad."

Tsuna looked at him as if he was crazy, her tears finally spilled onto his face. "B-But... But I killed her! I killed her with these two hands! Her blood was mixed with mine as I stabbed her…" She looked down at her hands before looking at Fran. Her bangs hid her eyes while her head hung low. "I was the one who killed the person who gave you life. How can you be glad that you met me?"

"And? She died with a smile on her face. I think you did her a favor. If she died like that, then how come you can't forgive yourself?" Enma had spoken up as he stood behind Tsuna. She was slowly returning to her old self, just a little bit more.

Tsuna slowly got off of Fran, her hands shaking with realization. She was this close to killing him… killing someone she considered precious… She burst in tears like she did on that day. "N-No, not again…" She shook her head back and forth, the palms of her hands covering her eyes. "I-I know that, but… What if it happens again? How am I supposed to deal with someone's blood on my hands? How can I deal with killing someone? How can I bear with killing someone even though they should die? To me, it doesn't matter if they're good or bad. Each person has a purpose has a chance at life as well as a purpose. I don't want to be the person who ends it all. I k-know that I have to. It's something I won't like doing but if it can save others, I can bear with it… But…"

She was back; her heart was back. "But?"

"What if it changes me for the worse? What if my heart becomes cold when I kill? What if I don't feel anything? But that's not the part I'm scared of..." She cried harder. She was scared. She voiced the one question that she was terrified of asking herself. "What if I become a monster?"

"Tsuna, look at me."

She slowly lifted her head and saw Enma looking directly into her eyes with a loving gaze. "Why… "

Enma wrapped his arms around her shaking figure, his head placed above her own. "Even if you become a monster, you're not alone. You're not the only person who has shed blood before. You're the not the only person who has taken a life before. You're not alone, Tsuna. When there are times you think you're alone, you're not. Everyone is there for you. You just need to call and we'll be there. Even if no one comes to your side when you call, call me and I'll be there."

Tsuna's eyes widened before closing them as she cried in Enma's chest. He was right. She was not alone. She had everyone. She cried for so many things. She cried for treating people horribly. She cried for hurting their feelings. She cried for hurting others. She cried for those who lost their loved ones. She cried for those who fell down the wrong path. She cried for ever doubting those around her. She cried for not believing. And lastly, she cried for herself.

Seeing that Tsuna has finally fallen asleep in his arms, Enma picked her up in his arms and gestured Fran to follow him back to the mansion. As they walked down the graveled path, Enma was curious about something. "Weren't you scared when she tried to kill you?"

"If she killed me, then she killed me. I just did what you told me to do." He noticed that Enma was looking at him with disappointment in his eyes.

Enma sighed and shook his head. "I also told you that if it became too much, you should have pushed her off of you. You should value your life more." A sad look appeared on his face. "Both of you should…" But that sentence remained as an unheard whisper.

"No one's going to cry if I die. She, on the other hand, will have people crying for her."

Enma sighed once more. "Like I said to Tsuna, you're not alone. Don't think people don't care you. Even your mother thought of you before she died, see? If you threw away your life like that, she would be sad. Who else do you think would cry for you? Tsuna would surely cry if you died. And if by chance, she did kill you, how do you think she would feel?"

"Sad… Regret… Depressed… Cry…" Fran contorted his face in confusion. Why would she feel that way about him? There was barely anything that made him think why she would act that way. "Why would she cry for a stranger?"

"Fran… You're no longer a stranger. You're her family."

* * *

><p>Tsuna winced at the movement of the needle entering her skin by Shamal, trying her best to not to squirm and attack him. She would mess him up and everything would become a mess, like the first time Shamal came over to check up on her. That was a horrible day, one with bruises and broken noses. It took Enma a whole month trying to convince her to allow Shamal to look at her. They had to know what the Estraneo put in her system and if there was the possibility if they could get rid of it. She highly doubted it though. Day after day, she had to go through all sorts of medical exams to make sure everything in her body was working properly or something did actually damage her somewhere. She hesitantly agreed and here, she was sitting in this room, with needles, sharp, hateful needles… "Is it over yet?"<p>

Shamal looked up at her with a look of sympathy. "You're still paranoid, aren't you? I didn't put anything suspicious in them, I promise." He stood up and placed the needle properly back in its case before taking off the pale latex gloves. When Shamal saw her nod, he ran his fingers through her hair, reassuring her. "Don't worry, that was the last of them for the meantime. I'll get you your results by the end of next week." His hand stretched out for a chair, positioning it in front of Tsuna and sat on it. He looked her directly in the eye. "From beginning to end, I want to know what happened, everything. But if there are some things you don't want to talk about, skip it."

Tsuna looked down to the ground as she fumbled with her fingers. She had no problem telling it to Shamal. She knew that she could trust him. It was just the matter of picking the rights words to explain it, without making it too dramatic and complex.

She started her tale with how it all started. Several weeks ago, she found a simple letter lying on top of her desk and opened it. The letter stated that they were holding Chrome captive and if she wanted her back, then she would have to go in alone with no weapons or else they would kill the female Mist Guardian. She had no one to consult to since everyone was out, trying to get used to missions and the Mafia lifestyle, so she went to the retired Vongola Nono for advice. He told her to do what she thought was right. If she makes mistakes, then she would learn from them. He told her to treat it like a real life situation but in the end, take everything in as a learning experience.

"I don't think he really knew that I was actually going to get kidnapped. Then again, he may have, but that doesn't matter. I learned from it. I got something out of it. I won't do something like that again." Continuing on, Tsuna said that she actually went in alone despite her intuition telling her not to. At the time, she was being driven by her rash thinking and anger. She got knocked out and found herself locked in a cell with corpses. Each day, they would throw a bucket of freezing water on her so her muscles would not move as well, limiting her chances of escaping. Each day, they would inject her with a different drug. One day, she got her captor mad and that led to being thrown in the pile of corpses in her cell. However, like a ray of hope, she was given a companion, only to find out that he was that woman's son. The woman threw a corpse at her son and that was when she finally snapped.

"And I ended up killing her with a shard of glass, by stabbing her… and then I passed out… That's about it." She looked at Shamal, confused that he had his eyes closed. "Um…"

Shamal looked at her with one eye before chuckling as he patted her on her head. 'You did well, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna looked at him with wide eyes. "W-Well? I messed up and got myself kidnapped… and I killed someone…"

Shamal shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That's not what I meant. Did you kill for satisfaction?"

Tsuna's eyes widened but she shook her head.

"Did you cry after you killed her?"

Tsuna's bangs shadowed her eyes but she nodded.

"Then that's good."

"W-What?" She looked at Shamal with a shocked expression. "H-How's that good? I killed someone."

"You cried. It means you still have a heart, that you still have a list of beliefs and morals you believe in. That you know that it's wrong to take a life even if the person deserves to be killed. I know people who have killed and their hearts have turned cold. I hope that doesn't happen to you, but you may never know. The future has endless possibilities. Just know that sad feeling when you kill again. It shows that you're still human and that you still consider life to be precious."

A wide smile appeared on Tsuna's face as she gave Shamal a quick hug.

"Oh, what's this? Have you finally fallen for me, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna laughed; something she had not done in a long time. "Haha, maybe just a bit. Thanks for cheering me up, Shamal.

"No problem." That was the sound he wanted to hear coming out of her. He had heard what happened from Enma and was shocked to hear that she would be doing such things. But hearing her laugh like this pushed his worries aside. It was best if she kept on laughing like this. She deserved it. "Oh, but don't Hayato about this. He might get jealous."

Tsuna covered her mouth to stop her from laughing but ended up doing it anyways with Shamal joining along.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this, Tsuna?" Enma approached the brunette while she leaned against the balcony rail. His eyes trailed down to the graveled path, a way paved to the outside world beyond its gates. He spotted two familiar heads, his eyes softening when one of them turned around, particularly the short one.<p>

Tsuna smiled when she saw the boy turn around, looking up at her direction. She waved at him, only to make him turn back around. A sad smile appeared on her face but was replaced a happier one. "Yeah… Even though I feel like I'm sending off my little brother to take on the world." She faced Enma with her arms wrapped around her body, tucking in a loose strand of her hair behind her ear as a breeze blew past. "Fran has so much potential in him. It's just waiting to be used. I was surprised when he told me he could use illusions, even more when he showed me. I know that it's best if I can get him to use that for his own good, you know? Shape it so he can use it for himself, allowing him to choose what he wants to do with it later on. Luckily, I have two Mist Guardians on my side, who happen to be excellent illusionists."

Enma smiled at her. "So, you're placing him under Mukuro's care? Aren't you worried that he might ask Mukuro how he found him? That's a question that's bound to be asked."

Her eyes gazed back at the pair, who had left the mansion. "Even if Mukuro is very unpredictable, I know that he will teach Fran well. If he has interest in him, then all the better. I just hope Mukuro doesn't rub off on him, but I would be kidding myself. Even Chrome got affected." She shivered at the memory. That was worst Halloween ever, no more walking zombies, please. "If Fran does happen to ask Mukuro, Mukuro has been instructed to just shrug and tell him that I found him. I doubt Fran will try to talk to a stranger though."

Enma leaned against the railing, looking up at the sky. "I think he'll remember. Like you said, he has a lot of potential. He's bound to break that seal on his memory one day. It might be painful for both of you. You being treated as a stranger. Him, remembering all those painful memories. But think about it, in the end, he'll remember that it was you who saved him, Tsuna."

Tsuna shook her head side to side as a small smile crept on her face. "No… I don't want to be remembered as the person who saved him. I want him to remember me as the person who considered him as family. He may think he's lonely now, but deep down, he knows that he has me on his side, no matter how far…" She looked at Enma. "Right?"

Enma let out a chuckle. "Yeah… We're on his side… No, we're his family."

A blush appeared on Tsuna's cheeks when she heard him say that. "Gosh, you're making me feel old." Her eyes gazed back down at Adelheid's and Fran's figures before they finally left her sight. "Then again, it's not that bad of a feeling." Family, huh? She could get used to that.

* * *

><p>It was just a few more days before she could go back to her family. She could barely contain her excitement to see them again. She doubted she would get away from getting lectured by everyone but she rather go through it if it meant hearing their voices again. There were a couple of little things that she was worried about.<p>

"Tsuna, are you paying attention?"

Tsuna snapped out of her thoughts and shyly shook head. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else."

"That's alright. I know that you're excited and nervous." Shamal looked at Tsuna and then at Enma. The success of this long-term plan solely depended on them. "I'll just go over what I just said. Pay close attention, okay?" He each handed them a list of instruction that would help hide Tsuna's kidnapping from her family as well as hide the fact that she had been injected with drugs if its side effects ever appeared. "How would you explain to people about getting jumpy when people suddenly touch you?"

"That Julie liked to pop out of nowhere to scare me." Tsuna remembered awhile back when Enma suddenly thought about giving her a farewell party. She surprised that he was the one who came up with the idea, but it maybe just be because he wanted to change something about him. When he actually did surprise her, she attacked him out of self-defense, breaking his arm. She weakly smiled at him when she saw the cast on his arm.

"Good. Let's hope that it'll go away in the future. We can't have you suddenly jumping and attacking when people touch or brush against you by accident. Anyway, what do you say when they ask why you were gone for so long?"

"I was discussing with the Shimon about how our families were going to interact with each other, talking about the possible benefits and consequences. It took so long since Vendice had to sit in as witness and that there were some arguments along the way before each side came to a conclusion." She shivered at the memory. Yeah, they had to go through that. Enma and she had to do all of it, paperwork the formalities, all of it. Vongola Nono thought it was best to get it out of the way, so he suggested that they do it while she was staying there.

"You don't have to be specific about it. It can be vague. In fact, it's better if it's vague." Shamal closed his eyes, searching through his mind not wanting to leave anything out. Next, he spoke to Enma. "Kozato, you are to go over to the Vongola's place every week or whenever you have the chance. If they wonder how come you're over there so much, tell them that you're unsure of how being a boss works and seek Tsuna's advice. Think about it as a meeting to talk to each other, boss to boss. I don't know how that will work out in the future, but let's swing with that. If you noticed anything strange about Tsuna or if she tells you anything, then tell me and I'll see what wrong when I go see her for check-ups."

Enma nodded, making a mental note of everything.

"Tsunayoshi, if something ever comes up, don't hesitate to call me, Kozato, or any of his Guardians. We'll try to come as fast as we can to your side. However, if the time ever calls for it, you can tell someone within your core family about it and they should be able to help you when we cannot."

Tsuna nodded but she was still unsure about this plan. "Are you sure that this can work for ten years… I mean, if something ever like this happens again or I suddenly faint during a mission… I don't think I can keep quiet for so long… They're bound to know one day."

"That day does not need to be today, Tsuna. I know that you don't want to tell them since you don't want to burden them with your pain. But this is you, we're talking about. I know that you can pull it off, no matter how long. Plus, you have me on your side. Remember, the Sky and the Earth shall side by side until the end?" The Shimon Decimo tried to reassure her.

Shamal looked at the two. He knew that this was difficult. But in the end, the two would be able to pull it off. He placed his hands on her shoulders, looking directly in her wavering eyes. "Ten years, one decade. That's it. That'll be how long for the drugs to come out of your system. You might experience painful side effects of it. It may include dizzy spells, insomnia, acting bipolar, weaker immune system, low white or red blood count. There are endless side effects since there are so many drugs in your system that has not balanced out. I can't exactly tell what might happen to you, but I'll do what I can to hold it at bay, at least to prevent it from appearing physically. The only thing that will probably show will be your weariness; I can tell you that now. However, know that, if anything else strange manages to get in your blood, there may or may not be a chance that I will be able to help you." He looked at her to see if she understood him. "Everything else will be up to you to fight."

With her determination returned, Tsuna nodded as her fingers curled up into fists. Ten years, one decade. That was all for it to take her to get those drugs out of her system. That was the only major obstacle she had to face until another problem smacked her in the face several months later.

Love.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

And we're back to the present in the next chapter, haha. For a moment, I was like "wait a minute, where am I going with this?" When I first started typing this up, I was like "oh, shoot... what do I write? past? present?" I was so confused, but then I started writing down ideas and I was like "I like this one and this one and this one." There were so many ideas but so few that would actually work. And the chapters keep on getting longer and longer...

I'm sorry if I made Tsuna a bit OOC. If I remember right, Tsuna and Enma should be around fifteen or sixteen when this occurred, in my story's timeline. Since teenagers are rebellious whether they like it or not, it shows. When Tsuna starts "fighting" with Fran, that's when her rebellious sides shows up. I wonder if that even makes sense or just makes it more confusing... She thinks she's right, which she is, but there are just some stuff she's forgetting. Tsuna doesn't really express anger a lot, so I took this as an opportunity to show one of her more angry sides. I also realized that in every chapter so far, Tsuna has been crying... Her poor eyes must be swollen... Well, let's see if I can fix that. You know what, I wonder if I made anyone else OOC... like when Enma started asking Tsuna questions to make her heart come back... Ugh...

Thank you so much for your reviews. Not only did they gave me encouragement, I actually took in what you guys said and thought about how I could explain it in the future chapters. I really don't like when there are so many plot holes in a story, so I try to avoid it if I can. For example, in the previous chapter, when Tsuna placed her hand on top of Fran's head, she was actually trying to seal off his memories, but she could not finish. I hoped that cleared something up. In this chapter, she manages to do so. She knows that if Fran dragged down by that kind of past, he would not be able to become stronger, since he would have an inferiority complex due to his mother. By sealing his memories, Fran should be able to develop his own character and make his own path, one that is not controlled. Tsuna knew that it was cruel on her part to do so, but she knows that it will work out in the end. Don't ask how, she just does. It's one of her mysterious qualities aka hyper intuition.

Once again, thank you so much for reviewing. I got so happy reading them. I hope you liked this chapter and tell me what you thought. Review and/or say what you think and I'll take it into consideration. Once again, thank you for reviewing. Please look forward to the next chapter.


	8. The Sky Reunites with One of Her Mists

After her narrative flashback, Tsuna had excused herself from the table to get more drinks and to retrieve the other two. Currently, Fran and Xanxus were the only ones remaining in the room, left to think over their pondering thoughts.

Xanxus had closed his eyes the entire time. The brunette managed to make her story so long winded, but he was able to pick out the main parts. He slowly lifted one eyelid to look at his second Mist Guardian, only to see that the brat was still expressionless like always. However, there was a hint of shock in the boy's slightly widened eyes, not that he cared. "Oi."

Fran turned his head when he heard Xanxus call out to him. He had not blinked ever since Tsuna finished her story, making his eyes slightly watery and red. He tried to speak but only his lips moved and no words came out. He looked off to the side, surprised that he was still in shock. His hands moved upward as they grabbed the fabric of the hat sitting on top of his head, his nails threatening to tear through its formidable material. There was a very uncomfortable feeling in his body, a mixture of all sorts of emotions swirling in and out of him; few emotions he was well acquainted with, but the rest remained a mystery.

Xanxus raised a suspicious eyebrow in Mist user's direction and decided not to be concerned with such confusing affairs. It was best to leave it to the brunette when she got back since it was their problem, not his.

The silent atmosphere in the room was lifted when a knock on the wooden door was heard. The door was hesitantly opened by the brunette as she took a step inside and took the tray of drinks from Enma's hands. She looked at Xanxus and then at Fran. "I see that you guys are at peace, well… somewhat." A sad smile adorned her facial features as she watched Fran get up from his seat and placed himself in the one farthest away from her.

Bel was about to make a comment about his kouhai, but when the male himself brushed passed him, his lips tightened into a thin line. The brat actually seemed to be disturbed by something, mentally too. What exactly happened when he was gone? He doubted that he was going to get an answer, but seeing the aura emitting from the younger male was throwing him off. "Mind telling me what happened, Decimo?"

Tsuna noticed that silent demand in Bel's question but busied herself with giving Xanxus's his refilled glass of wine, before serving another cup of hot chocolate. "Bel, hand this to Fran, well you? I was hoping it would calm down his nerves just a bit." She smiled when he walked up to her and took the cup away from her hands. "He'll tell you when he's ready."

He frowned with the answer she gave him but did as he was told. His eyes peered at the male sitting and shoved the cup in the dazed boy's face. "Here, drink it." He took in the little details in the hat he had given him, noting that there were marks in the hat that his knives did not make themselves. His eyes trailed down from the hat to the boy's eyes and his hands. He was showing signs of fidgeting. This was new and he did not like it, not one bit.

Fran silently took the cup away from Bel's hand. "Aren't you needed somewhere else, sempai?" He lifted his legs into the seat, curling up as he took sips from the cup, his lips not leaving the rim.

Bel let out a low growl as he slammed a hand on the table, gaining attention from the rest of the occupants in the room, not that he cared. He wanted to pull the brat by the collar and punch him but decided to glare at him. "You little–"

"Bel, I still need to talk to you." Tsuna saw that Fran wanted to be left alone and Bel was getting frustrated out of secret concern for the boy. She could feel herself slowly becoming giddy. What? She could not be happy that Fran had someone looking out for him beside her and Fran. Anyways… "I want this to be done before morning comes. I know that Xanxus wants to catch some sleep before working and I'm sure that you want your rest too."

Bel scoffed at her. He leaned forward, still glaring at the boy through his bangs. "Don't think this is over. Your damn attitude is pissing me off. Get over whatever it is or else my knives will actually start tasting some blood, frog." The blonde prince growled once more when he did not get a response as he went back to his seat where the meeting was to resume.

Tsuna took a seat beside Enma, placing her hands on the table. "Okay, now, that is over, I want to further discuss these conditions more specifically." She looked at the man, her eyes filled with seriousness. "Xanxus, once you become the head of the family, it will only be temporary. It will be at more or less than twenty years and during that time period, you'll be in charge of the heirs." Her eyes look intently at him to see how he would react.

Xanxus uncrossed his legs and placed them on the ground. His elbow was on the table with his arm as support for holding up his chin in his hand. "Stop looking at me like I'm some monkey, trash. I'm listening."

"Okay, with that being said, I personally want your family, specifically Bel, to be in charge of the two's physical development. I will handpick a few people to be in charge of their emotional development and the Shimon will be in charge of their leadership skills. Despite that being said, the two heirs will be under the care of their respective family. However, you, Xanxus, will be the one holding the reins to this plan, so you are to decide what to do with them, as long as you have agreement from at least three of the people cooperating with you."

Bel looked up from twirling his knives in his hand. "Why should the prince be in charge of some brats?"

Tsuna smiled. "I'm sure the prince might actually be challenged with bringing up these children, even if he is a once-in-a-lifetime genius." She saw a devious smirk on Bel's face. "Should I take that I as a yes or a no?"

Bel shrugged as he spun in his chair. The Decimo really knew how to play with her words, slipping both a compliment and an insult in a simple statement. His feet were placed on the floor, stopping the chair from spinning and smirked at Tsuna. "The prince will gladly take on your challenge." He then saw a devious shine in her eyes, making him all the more excited, and further widening his smirk. "Just who are they, though?"

"I don't know yet. They haven't been born yet."

Bel eyed her before returning back to twirling his knives. A mischievous shine grew in the blonde's eyes as a satisfied smile appeared on his lips. So that were the kids he was supposed to bring up… Interesting… But the smile disappeared as he remembered something important. He was about to speak up, but the glare Xanxus gave him made him close his mouth. He would just have to save his questions for a later date then. It looked like the boss also knew.

A fake smile fell upon her face when she saw the glare Xanxus gave Bel as well as the blonde's disappointed look. "Anyway, I need to gather everyone together in a couple of days for an important meeting." Her fingers curled up as she looked at her hands with an anxious yet slightly determined look on her face. "We are taking down the Estraneo Familgia."

Now, all eyes were on her. This was really an unexpected occurrence. Not once had they thought that she would want to soil her hands of blood more than she had. To hear her say that, they could not help but question her sanity for a moment. What exactly brought this on?

Enma looked at Tsuna, searching her eyes to see if she was wavering in her decision or not. "Tsuna, are you sure about that?"

Tsuna firmly nodded. "From what happened in the past and what recently happened, I've come to the conclusion that the Estraneo are trying to revive their family." Her eyes slowly became murky with growing hate. Her arms were trembling with unmasked emotions. "They will never again make others do their filthy work and make them bear their crimes. No one deserves to be their experiment for them to play with, for them to break, for them to kill off one by one, for them to use… No one should bear that kind of trauma." She bit her lip so hard that it bled. It angered her very being that they were back, that wretched family. They had tortured her family back then. They tortured her as well as another member of her family.

"All of them, they should be bleeding to death on the ground How would they like it if they were probed at and experimented with? How would they feel if some deranged fool played with their body and treated it like trash? Do they even deserve to be called human? They shouldn't even be called a family. Each family has their own set of rules, right? Then, why does that family doesn't have any? Huh?" Her mind was slowly becoming warped like that one time. A crazed smile appeared on her face as a deranged laugh left her throat, making the males in the room stiffened as the unfamiliar sound. She looked down at her hands, blood thirst filled her eyes. "Haha, they should dance in my hands, begging for me for mercy. Play with them a bit. Betray them when they least expect it and wipe them out when they're all confused. Yeah, that's what we should do. They should just all d–!"

"Tsuna!"

"What!" Her very being was seething with hateful emotions. She glared at Enma, who was now standing up, a bit taken back from her glare. He could have sworn that the brunette had snarled at him for interrupting her.

"Do you mean what you're saying?"

"Of course, those people deserve to–" A sharp sound echoed in the room, her left cheek now stung while Enma looked at her with disappointed eyes, his throbbing hand to the side. "E-Enma…?" Her body froze when her mind suddenly replayed what left her mouth. Tsuna's eyes widened while her left hand was placed on her swollen cheek. She looked at her family members, seeing different emotions on their faces. "Did I just say that…?" She looked up at Enma, who nodded.

Bel whistled at the scene playing before him. The brunette boss was scary when she became angry. He took a mental note not to go over the line in the future. Sure, he loved to push her buttons, but seeing this, just made him wary of how far he could actually do that.

Xanxus was secretly grateful that Enma snapped the woman out of her state before he could get up from his chair to shake her. That look in her eyes was similar to his years ago, but it was different. They were directed at something rather than at everything. He felt a shiver rush over his spine when he remembered the growing hate in her eyes. There was a sense of thrill in him but it was accompanied with an extreme feeling of caution.

As for Fran, he just watched. Her eyes were the same as they were when she tried to strangle him to death…

Her eyes widened as she felt her body hit the floor. Coughs escaped her throat as her arms wrapped themselves around her stomach. Her temperature soon rose but when a cold breeze brushed past, it made her shiver and her insides turn. "E-Enma, t-take everyone out except for Fran, now." It had been awhile since she had her last attack, thus making it harder to deal with.

Enma was hesitant but motioned everyone to leave the room.

Xanxus took a glance at the brunette gripping her stomach before leaving the room. "I thought those were gone."

Enma eyed the Varia head for a moment but sighed once he closed the door behind Bel. "She must have told you then… From the looks of it, something got into her system that's making the leftover drugs in her system to come back alive."

Xanxus scowled before turning away from the redhead. "I'm heading back. Call me when the meeting has been called. Let's go." His legs moved faster with each step down the hall to the entrance of the building. He wanted to get away before he could hear her cries of pain. He never wanted to hear them again. He cringed when his ears caught a hold of the sound. He growled. He had caught her falling over in pain in her office once and stood in front of the closed door until it was over. It was not a welcoming sight, something her family would not want to hear or see. Even though he did not to admit it, he had grown to respect the brunette despite her pathetic excuse of a presence.

Bel blinked at how fast his boss's legs were moving. He was about to question the man's actions until he heard a strange sound coming behind the door. He took a quick double take at the sound and realized what made his boss move so fast. At first, the blonde was fine with the sound since he always took missions where he got to torture his prey. But with each second passing by, he found himself unconsciously cringing. He guessed hearing it from someone he saw somewhat as a respected equal was totally different. "Yo, Shimon, the frog stays here until the Decimo says he can leave, got it?"

Enma nodded as he watched the Varia Storm Guardian follow the path his boss had taken. He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it a bit before leaning against the door, sighing. "I hope you know what you're doing, Tsuna…"

* * *

><p>Fran watched with slightly concerned eyes as the woman before him wreathed in pain on the ground. His face was slowly becoming distorted with each cry of anguish.<p>

"F-Fran…" Tsuna tried to crawl her way to the disturbed Mist Guardian. "I w-wanted to say sorry a-after all this time." She placed a shaking hand on his cheek.

The young male cringed when her hand touched him. He felt her other hand brush against his, leaving an object in his hands. When she was properly propped up against the wall with his aid, he looked down at the object in his hands. It appeared to be a silver ring. His eyes noticed an engraving and read it aloud. "From now on until the end…"

Tsuna softly smiled as she leaned on his shoulder when he finally decided to sit next to her on the wall. "I'm sorry for sealing away your memories. It must've made you very uncomfortable to feel a sudden rush of emotions like that. To tell you the truth, every time when we would meet up I was scared that you would suddenly remember one day and won't know what to do around me. But I guess I was mentally prepared for that when I saw you enjoying yourself in the Varia. I'm glad there are people out there looking out for you now." She winced at her pain but softly smiled when Fran grabbed her hand. She looked up and saw a barely noticeable blush on his cheeks.

Fran looked off to the side, but not before he slipped on the ring on his right pinky. He squeezed her hand, signaling that he was comfortable with her. "It's all in the past now. The you now haven't changed much from the past." He smiled at her words when it sank in. Yes, there were people now looking out for him, despite how abnormal they were. They were still the people who looked out for him as well as knock sense into him when he did something stupid.

Tsuna smiled as she fell asleep. She finally got her little brother back. He did not reject her nor did he distant himself. For now, she was content with this situation. After all, the things that happened today would never happen again.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES<strong>:

No excuses but writer's block, summer homework, and the occasional case of pure laziness. Been writing one-shots here and there, trying to change my mood every now and then. Thank you for reading and tell me what you think. From the look of things, it looks like this chapter was confusing from beginning to end, so if you have any questions, just tell me. I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Once again, please review and look forward to the next chapter.


	9. The Uneasy Storm & The Confused Rain

"Jyuudaime, do you mind explaining why the Varia is here?" Gokudera looked at his boss, trying to seek an answer directly from his boss, instead of the loudmouths. He forced himself to ignore the irritating big oaf of a man sitting on the couch directly to his left, who was currently sipping on a cup of wine. His right eye began to twitch when he caught Xanxus smirking at him.

"Oi, trash, can't you see that your boss is busy at the moment?" Xanxus gave the Vongola Storm Guardian a cocky smile as he placed his legs on top of the coffee table in front of him, one leg over the other. With a free hand, he took a couple sheets placed in front of him into his hands and began to look over them.

Gokudera let out a barely inaudible growl, only making Xanxus silently smirk. He gave Xanxus a quick glare before looking back at his boss. "Jyuudaime, please explain what is going on."

Tsuna looked up from her stack of papers before placing the ones she looked through before on top of another pile. "No, that shouldn't go there… I still need to look over that…" She muttered to herself as she placed tabs on the ones she had to look over before turning her attention to her Storm Guardian. Seeing how our relationship is not exactly existent, I thought they should be allowed to come over more often to at least form some sort of bond. Right, Xanxus?"

Xanxus scoffed at her remark as he led his cup of wine to his lips, taking another sip. Placing the drink down, he pulled out a pair of glasses and put them on. "What? I don't have the same eyesight I did years ago." He muttered a string of curses as he scanned the document in his hands.

Tsuna let out a nervous laugh, trying to shake her little comment of Xanxus looking quite handsome in those glasses. "Anyway, I don't think I have anything for you to do here, Gokudera. Honestly, I was not expecting you to be here until later. Um…" She looked around to see if she needed anything else though nothing came to mind.

"Brat, who wrote these terms? They are all over the place."

Tsuna let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, those… Haha… I wrote those while I was falling asleep. Here, let me look over those." She looked around her desk for a red pen but seemed like she could not find one. "Ne, Gokudera, do you have red pen I could use?"

Gokudera blinked a couple of times before digesting the 'friendliness' between the two bosses. "U-uh, yeah." He shuffled through his pockets and took out a used red pen. "Here you go, Jyuudaime."

Tsuna took the pen and thanked Gokudera. "Thanks, Gokudera." It looked like Tsuna's lack of balance would always follow her as she magically tripped over the edge of the rug, falling on the floor. However, Xanxus managed to catch her by her arm, lifting her up back on her feet. "Haha… Thanks, Xanxus." She rubbed where he caught her, realizing that he must have been quite surprised since her arm hurt a bit. She took a seat across from Xanxus and waited as he handed the sheet he was talking about. "Oh, you're right… What was I thinking when I wrote that?"

Gokudera was frozen in place. When he saw his boss fall, he was about to move forward to catch her, but somehow something pulled him back and told him to see what would happen. To his surprise, Xanxus caught his boss before she fell.

"Ah, we can't have that there. Xanxus, here take this pen. Make notes of what you think should be fixed and what not. Looks like I have to make copies of these." Tsuna looked at the document and tried to see who could make copies. Before Gokudera could offer, Tsuna had already started speaking without looking at him. "Gokudera, tell Squalo to come here. I need to talk to him about something. And that would be all." She focused her attention back to the documents placed before her and Xanxus and started to ask the Varia head for opinions of what should be done or changed.

"Yes, Jyuudaime…" Gokudera silently left the room, leaving to the two bosses talking to one another.

On his search for the Varia Rain Guardian, the silver-haired male could not help but feel frustrated as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He felt Xanxus and his boss was sharing some sort of secret, but at the same time, it did not. He felt like his boss was pushing him away, but that was not true. She was actually busy with paperwork and was talking it over with another boss. So why was he was so damn irritated and frustrated? He let out his anger at a flower vase, yelling and threatening to blow it up, catching the attention of Yamamoto as he passed by.

* * *

><p>"Squalo? Squalo! Are you even paying attention to what I'm saying?" Lussaria grumbled at Squalo who looked up from polishing his sword. He sighed as he readjusted his sunglasses properly back on his face. "Are you still bothered by what Bel said at the meeting a couple days ago?" He watched as Squalo gazed back down at his blade as he sat in the high chair. They were currently in the one of the kitchens in the building, since there was nothing to do and Lussaria wanted to make something for Tsuna.<p>

"Tch, I don't give a damn about what that brat thinks. Even if it does come true, then it happened. We can't fix that. As for the Boss, I think there's something wrong with that brain of his. He's getting too soft." His eyes moved away from his blade and onto the floor, letting out a loud sigh. "For all I know, the world is crumbling to pieces as we speak if that narcissist of a kid actually wants to take care of a pair of brats."

Lussaria laughed to himself. "Well, we'll see what happens when it does occur." He grabbed a spare apron from the counter, wrapping around his waist as he searched the cupboards and pantries for baking utensils and ingredients for the cake he was baking for Tsuna. "Hm… What kind of cake should I make for Tsu-chan today?" He pondered for a bit before looking over the Rain Guardian. "What do you think, Squalo?"

"Huh?" Squalo pushed his thoughts aside and looked up at Lussaria. "I don't know. I heard that she liked strawberries."

Lussaria inwardly giggled as a smirk arose on his face. "Oh?"

Squalo unconsciously backed away from the Sun Guardian due to the expression on his face. "VOI! Stop looking at me like that and start on that cake or something!" His right eyes twitched when the grin on Lussaria's face widened. "VO–! Ah, forget it. I'm going somewhere else."

Lussaria laughed as he watched his friend leave in irritation. As he looked over the cooking utensils displayed before him, he placed his hands on his hips and smiled to himself. "Tsu-chan, you influence people too much. Now, what shall I make to make you smile?"

* * *

><p>The Japanese male peeked from room to room as he searched for the long-haired Rain Guardian. He chuckled at the memory of Gokudera stuttering when he had caught the guy yelling at a pot of flowers. He offered to help find the Varia Rain Guardian and this was what he was currently doing.<p>

"VOI! Don't people knock anymore? You're peeping in and out of rooms for quite some time now, brat!" Squalo walked up from behind Yamamoto. He was watching the kid for some time and could not understand how come the kid did not bother to knock. He took that back, he did not knock himself.

Yamamoto grinned when he saw Squalo. "Oh, there you are. Gokudera was looking for you. He told me that if I found you, I should tell you that Tsuna is looking for you." Yamamoto noticed the expression on Squalo's face darkened. "Um, is there something wrong?"

The silver-haired male eyes the Japanese male in front of him, staring him keenly in the eyes before asking his question. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

Yamamoto took a step back and tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?" He noticed that Squalo sighed in disappointment. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

In a single movement, Squalo's blade was pointing at Yamamoto's neck, his eyes filled with silent warning. "You better pay attention to what's around you, brat. You're going to lose something." He growled when the younger male did not understand what he said due to that stupid confused expression on his face. He stomped on the ground in annoyance. "VOI! Ah, just forget it! You're all dunces for all I care!"

Yamamoto just stood there, wondering about what Squalo just said. He had no idea what the other male meant, except when he felt that stare on him, he had feeling that Squalo was warning him about something important, thus creating the unsettling feeling at the pit of his stomach. Trying to rid of the feeling, he quickly remembered that he had to tell Gokudera that he had found Squalo. He took out his phone and dialed the number to his friend's phone, waiting for the irritable Storm Guardian to pick up. After two rings, the call connected.

"What do you want? You know that I'm busy, right?" There was commotion in the background as well as a quick strong of curses muttered by Gokudera. "Damn it! Where the fuck is that bastard?"

Yamamoto awkwardly laughed at his friend's choice of words. The found language was never going to go away, huh… "Uh, I just found Squalo. He's headed to where Tsuna is right now." After that, no one responded but Yamamoto could still hear the commotion in the background. "Gokudera?"

"What…? Oh, yeah. Uh… 'Kay. I-I'll talk to you later then."

The Japanese male looked at his phone when the call disconnected. What was making Gokudera so uncomfortable?

* * *

><p>"VOI! You know that you could have called me, you moronic boss!" Squalo let himself in and froze in place when he saw Tsuna glare at him for disturbing her workplace while shock was etched in his face when he realized that Xanxus was actually doing paperwork. Yup, the world was definitely going to end anytime soon. He shook his head back and forth before closing the door behind him. "So? What do you need me for?"<p>

Tsuna dropped her glare and pointed at the stack of papers placed on the table before her. "I need you to take those over to Bel. Tell him to look over them and write down anything he thinks should be fixed and whatnot. After that, bring them to me so I can fix the mistakes and make the adjustments. Later, I'll call you over to make at most thirty copies. I'll be handing them out during the meeting next week." She looked up from the document she was reading and noticed that Squalo was looking at her. "Is there a problem with my request?"

Squalo placed himself in a chair and gazed at the Vongola Decimo. "I'm not some dog, you know? You have that annoying brat to do that for you. From what I'm seeing, it looks like you're avoiding him and any other male in your Guardian group. Now, that I pay attention, where is that tutor of yours?"

Tsuna was taken back Squalo's words but slowly shook her head. "I'm not avoiding anyone. Plus, Reborn is off doing his job." She still Squalo's eyes on her and sighed. "Is there anything else you want me to answer? You're asking more questions than usual. I still need to talk to Xanxus about something else."

Squalo took one more look at Tsuna before heaving himself off of the chair. He let out a sigh as he patted her on the head. "Watch yourself, brat." He took the stack of papers on the desk and walked out the door. His hand hovered over the door knob, waiting to be turned, but the Rain Guardian turned around to say something before he forgot. "By the way, Lussaria is making you a cake."

Tsuna's eyes softened at the thought of Lussaria baking her cake. He probably figured that she was feeling down. "Tell him thanks for me."

Squalo smirked as he left the room. "Tell him yourself."

When she noticed that the door was closed, she walked over to it and locked it before anyone else could enter. Placing her back against the door, she sighed to herself before walking back to where Xanxus was sitting, taking away his cup of wine. She walked over to her desk, leaning against it as she raised the glass to her lips, taking a small sip of it.

Xanxus eyed the brunette's actions. She started to act strange ever since that meeting. He felt like he was dealing with someone different. This person was more cunning, slyer, more direct, more prideful and less afraid. He then realized that she may unconsciously be in her HDW mode which would explain her unexplained confidence towards him. It would also explain why her eyes kept on changing color randomly. "What are you doing, scum?"

Tsuna smiled at Xanxus, as her hand delicately held the glass cup with her fingers. "Just wait, Xanxus. Everything will play out before us in all due time. In the near future, I'll be out of your hair like you wanted me to be in the first place." She let out a weak laugh before taking another sip.

She was tired of this, all of it. Already being emotionally weak, she noticed that her body was slowly losing its fight against the unfamiliar substances in her body. She smiled to herself. Two more people, just two more. When it comes to an end, she will make her decision. She had told herself to fight, to struggle against whatever what thrown at her. But now… It seemed like her will just left her. She really did not want it to end this way, but she knew that her time was limited. She had to set everything up before she left.

She let out a sigh followed by a sad laugh, disturbing Xanxus a bit. She moved her head side to side, as if she was disappointed in herself. "Ah, life is just too short."

Xanxus's face darkened at her words. He resorted to drinking from the wine bottle since the brunette took his cup. Screw manners. He needed something to calm his nerves. "You've finally crack, haven't you, trash?"

"Maybe I have." She shrugged as her eyes gazed at the glass of wine before her. "Ne, Xanxus, don't you think everyone treats me like a glass cup?" She stretched out her arm in front of her, holding the cup loosely with her fingers. "The liquid are the people who surround me. I'm the thing that holds them together. But when that cup breaks, it'll end. When my heart cracks, it all ends."

The glass cup slipped from her fingers, breaking into many broken shards as it hit the ground. The sound made Tsuna sadly smile. The red liquid was sprayed all around her feet as it seeped into the carpet.

"Everything will come to end." She gazed at her opposite with an apologetic smile while he scoffed her. "I'll be leaving the pieces to you, Xanxus."

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><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

This was hard to put out onto a document. The idea was there, but conveying it was a bit... Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed it. I like to give thanks to those who reviewed. Actually made me get my head out the books and forced myself to relax to think about the future chapters. Please review and look forward to the next chapter.


	10. The Unspoken Lines

Sawada Tsunayoshi was not a happy person at the moment. No, she was quite far from her usual mood, far from it. Right now, she was mad and she was not someone who would get mad easily. She knew that she was easily frustrated and irritated, but she was ever so rarely truly angered. Considering how she was brought up and who her parents were, one would deem anger an emotion Tsuna would not have. Sadly, that person was wrong, very wrong indeed.

* * *

><p>Tsuna had been very nervous ever since she woke up this morning. She knew that this meeting may or may not go as well as she wanted it to. However, when she walked into a room filled with insults blasted across the room and weapons clashing before her face, she could not help but feel like making an example out of one of them. Yet, they would never learn if she tossed Squalo out of the window or smashed Mukuro into the wall.<p>

She could feel her left eye twitch while she was sitting down in her seat with her eyes closed. She kept on telling herself that they would eventually quiet down in due time. She took a quick glance as her watch and realized almost two hours had gone by. Oh, two hours… since the meeting started and burning daylight. Tsuna told herself to count to ten, to take deep breaths, to take a sip of water from her cup every now and then and not to yell. But in the end, nothing stopped the boiling feeling of anger erupting in her. She let out a laugh, catching the attention of the people sitting near her, catching their curiosity. She spun around in her chair and looked at Reborn, who was currently leaning against the wall behind her. "Can you make them be quiet, Reborn?"

Reborn smirked and shrugged. "Tsuna, these kids are out of my hands. You're their boss now." He noticed that Tsuna gently smiled at him and heard her mutter something about not taking the responsibility for the mess he caused. He watched with interest when his student rose from her seat.

"Enough." Her voice thundered throughout the room, causing all the bickering and fighting to a hush. They flinched when she slammed her hands on the wooden table; cracks in the wooden table could be seen at the place her hands were. "Shut your traps and get in your seats, now." Her chest was rising up and down as she glared at the occupants in the room besides the ones sitting next to her and behind her.

They could almost swear that the girl had made a contract with a demon in her past life when they swore they saw a dark aura surrounding her body.

"I called for a meeting two hours ago. By now, the meeting should have ended and I would have been up in my office, filling out all the paperwork that has been piling up, mainly due to some people in this room. But no, you guys still act like immature children. Seeing how I'm going to be awake all night once again, thank you once again for making me a couple steps closer to dying." The brunette saw that her right hand man wanted to say something but raised her hand in front of her, silencing him from speaking. "Don't bother giving me reasons or excuses. You're all grown people, so I expected that some of you have developed a sense of maturity. Anyways, let's start. I want this meeting to be over with."

Weapons were lowered and people rushed to their seats, not wanting to anger the woman even more. Once they were settled in their seats, all looked at the Vongola Decimo with attention, causing Reborn to silently praise his student.

Tsuna sighed when she slumped back into her seat. She opened the folder in front of her with another hand pointing to something. "Okay, I want to talk about something serious with all of you. So, can you please pass around the packets to everyone, E…" Her words failed to finish when she noticed that the bundled papers holding the packets was missing. She looked at everyone with scared eyes and spoke in a voice laced with panic. "W-Where's the bundle of p-papers?" She eyed the people in front of her for an answer. Please, someone tell her that they were playing with her and were just hiding it from her sight.

"Kufufu, that little thing? I used as a shield when dear Kyouya over here tried to attack me." Mukuro smirked as he taunted the glaring Cloud Guardian, who sitting far, far away from him. "The last time I saw it, it flew out my hand and out the window."

Tsuna's eyes widened even more with fear. She got out of her chair, knocking it over as she ran over to the opened window near Mukuro. She stuck her head out and almost screamed when she saw that the bundle was no longer one and the packets were all over the place. She pulled her head back into the room, while hitting the window with the back of her head along the way. She winced at the pain, rubbing at the growing bump as she called out orders. "Fran, Lussaria, go collect those papers, please. The string broke, so all thirty copies are loose. I don't care if you have to threaten people to get them back. I just want all them back, all of them. Now, go."

The two people nodded at her command and got out of their seats. Fran was the first out of the window while Lussaria lagged behind.

"Hai, hai. Anything for Tsu-chan." Lussaria gave a small air kiss to Tsuna, who smiled in gratitude before turning her attention to the rest of the people in the room.

The brunette glared hard at Mukuro as she walked over to where he was sitting. She kicked him in the shin, feeling quite pleased when the smiling facade on his face faltered a bit when he looked up at her. "I don't care if kicking you in the shin is childish, but what you just did could have jeopardized the whole family if those papers ever got in the wrong hands. And it's just not you." She looked up at Hibari, glaring at him for once. "You're in trouble too, Hibari. You should have noticed that those papers were important."

Mukuro smirked as he shrugged; ignoring the pain his leg was going through. "I don't think a broken toy has the right to talk to someone like–!"

Tsuna's face darkened when she slapped Mukuro's across the face. She grabbed him up by the collar, pulling him close to her face, glaring into his mismatched eyes. "This is not the time for mind games. I'm warning you this once. You better listen too, Hibari. If anyone gets a hold of those papers, you're both going to go through hell with me, both of you." She let go of the male illusionist's collar and harshly pushed him back into his seat, making him cough a bit. His body felt a bit shaken when he touched his red cheek.

Xanxus, for the first time, frowned at how the mist user was acting towards his boss instead of smirking. What she said was true. If those papers ever got into the hands of someone, especially someone who did not like the Vongola, the family would fall.

The brunette unconsciously brushed her throbbing hand against her skirt several times since she wanted to rid the pain of hitting her Guardian, but it did not go away. To others, it looked like she was wiping her hand on her skirt as if she felt disgust when she smacked Mukuro. Tsuna took deep breaths as she walked back to her seat, sensing that she had everyone's attention on her. Once she made it to her seat, almost every pair of eyes widened and almost every mind went blank when Tsuna spoke her next words.

"Be it male or female. All adults whose hands had played a role in the experimentation of humans will bare blood before the Vongola. As for the children... it would be their choice if they want to be killed along with their parents/guardians or have their memory wiped. The Vongola are going to exterminate the Estraneo." Her eyes were filled with silent remorse and determination. "The tenth generation of the Vongola is going to stain their hands with blood like its predecessors." Tsuna closed her eyes as silence filled the room. She prayed to Vongola Primo, Giotto, that she had broken her promise to him during his trial and told him not to forgive her. She was not the one to change Vongola. Her muscled tensed when her ring started to speak out to her, scared of what the will of her ancestor may say to her.

_Child, that promise has not been broken. It was much to ask from you when you were so young. Rejoice, Decimo. You still have my support and my will. Do what you believe is right and never regret your actions._

Tsuna faintly smiled as she watched the sudden burst of warmth from her ring went away. She mouthed the words 'thank you'. Then, she collapsed.

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><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Ah, that end... What will happen next?

Has to be my shortest chapter since it's less than what I usually write, haha. I would like to thank my reviewers. Every now and then, I would go back and read them over since they make me happy and that wants me to make you happy, so yeah... Ah, my love for KHR has been going up lately since I've been searching the web and there are so many funny people out there. Those fanarts are so loveable and hilarious. Anyway, please review and look forward to the next chapter.


	11. The Lightning Cries for the Sky

Soft chocolate eyes slowly fluttered open, trying to adapt to the lighting and the surroundings around her. Cautiously shifting her body on the surface she was laying on, she took note that someone must have placed her on a couch when she happened to collapsed. She stayed there lying down on the couch while staring at the ceiling, taking the time to sort out her thoughts before she went out to meet everyone. "Never regret my actions, huh…" Her head turned the direction of the door, a bit alarmed when she heard it open as she tried to prop herself up.

The wooden door let out a long squeaking sound, being slowly opened. Behind the door, it was surprising to see that it was her youngest Guardian, Lambo. His eyes shifted back and forth, making sure he was not intruding on anyone before taking a step in. Seeing that she was awake, he softly yet quickly closed the door behind him. He hesitantly walked over to where his boss was sitting and took a seat beside her. His eyes shifted from his fumbling fingers back to his boss's face, unsure of what he should say to her. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he did not want her feel like he was prying into her private affairs.

Seeing that Lambo wanted to tell her something or ask her about something, Tsuna bravely leaned against his arm and placed her head on his shoulder, causing the teen to tense up. "What happened after I collapsed?"

Lambo looked down at her, noticing that she was not looking up at him. Once again, he fumbled his fingers before speaking. "No one moved when you fell. Enma was the first to react, surprisingly, and picked you off the floor and brought you to this room. Xanxus soon followed behind and threatened everyone to not follow them. Even Reborn backed off, since it seemed like he was still in shock. Chrome was amazing though."

Tsuna looked up at him with puzzled eyes. Chrome? "What did she do?"

Lambo nervously ran his fingers through his black tresses as he continued to speak. "She stood up to Xanxus. She didn't even flinch when he suddenly pointed his gun at her face, telling her to back off. He finally gave up and allowed her to follow."

Tsuna suddenly felt nervous. Did this mean that Xanxus told her what was going on…? She bit her lip. She did not want to get her Guardians involved. However, if Xanxus told Chrome, then that meant he trusted her…

Lambo moved his face in front of his boss and stared hard at her.

"L-Lambo?" Her Lightning Guardian never got this close to her and honestly, it was making her very uncomfortable. Out of nowhere, his face was replaced with his hand and he flicked her in the forehead. Her eyes widened before rubbing her forehead. "That hurt, Lambo." She glared at the teen who shrugged.

"From what I got out of you from the meeting was that you were stressed out. Even when it's the two of us, you're still thinking about something else." His cheeked reddened when he saw her giggling. "W-What?"

"N-Nothing." She looked away from Lambo, and used her hand to cover her giggles though a few escaped. He was really cute when he was not acting lazy or flirting with girls.

His blush gradually went away when he heard that she stopped laughing at him. Lambo's face darkened when he realized that the question that was bugging him had to be asked now or else he would not get another chance. "Tsuna, are you hiding something from us?"

Tsuna's eyes widened at Lambo's words. She slowly turned around and nervously laughed. "What are you talking about? I'm not hiding anything. Well, I am, but everyone has a couple secrets to themselves, right?"

He looked at her with a slightly pained expression before speaking. "Don't lie. I heard Xanxus and Enma talking to Chrome about you…" He looked at her with scared eyes. "Is it true that you're…"

At once, she felt her mask break when she saw that look in Lambo's eyes. She tried to compose herself by getting off of the couch, but Lambo held her back by grabbing her wrist. She noticed that his hand was cold. "Lambo, I remember that I have to go somewhere. So if you ever so kindly can let go…"

Lambo gritted his teeth and stood up, looking down at his boss, defiantly holding his ground. "No."

"Lambo, please let go." Tsuna tried to push the hand away, but he only tightened his grip.

"No."

Tsuna wanted to run away from this situation. Then, Reborn's words from back entered her mind.

"_Dame-Tsuna, if you run away now, you're going to keep running away."_

"Lambo, let go." Tsuna did not want to deal with this, but Lambo was a lot more stubborn than she thought he was.

"No."

She looked up at him and cringed when she saw desperation in his eyes. She saw that he wanted to know the truth.

"_Once you start running from things you don't want to face, it'll keep on chasing you until you die."_

"Lambo, just drop it, okay? Can't you see that I have to go somewhere?" She struggled to get her wrist out of Lambo's hand, but it only tightened even more.

"Answer my question, then I'll let you go." Lambo looked at her, not realizing that his younger self was resurfacing. He was close to tears, since it looked like she wanted to run from him.

Tsuna's eyes slightly widened when she noticed that tears were forming in Lambo's eyes. She had not seen the Bovino teen cry in awhile. She stopped struggling and looked at Lambo. "Why do you need to know?"

Lambo looked at her with a bewildered look. Did she really ask him that? He looked into her eyes, staring intently at them. "You can't be serious?" He let go of her wrist and placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her a bit. "You're my boss. No, you're my family. To be exact, you're my older sister who I look up to." He dropped to his knees, his hands holding onto her arms. His face focused on the ground below him, tears threatening to fall. 'Are you telling me that it's wrong to be worried about you?" His body shook as he let out a choked sob. "I-Is it that wrong? Is it wrong to be worried about you?" He let out a crack laugh, since he told himself that he was not going to cry. He probably looked pathetic to her right now.

Tsuna wanted to comfort the Bovino child, but she did not know what to say. She was placed in the middle of telling him, but that would get him involved and she did not think he could handle it… He was still so young. She wanted to protect this child from tears. Now, she was the one making him cry. "Lambo…"

Lambo slowly got up, surprising her with a forced smile on his face. He wiped the tears with his sleeves and flicked her in the forehead once again. "Haha, I was just kidding, Baka-Tsuna. Wipe that expression off your face, it doesn't look good on you." He proceeded to walk past her, but a cold hand held his wrist. He did not turn around; he did not want her to see him cry.

"I'll tell you." Tsuna waited until the teen turned around. Her heart broke when Lambo turned around, several tears had fallen already. She brought him closer and hugged him. "You can't tell anyone except Chrome. Promise?"

The dark-haired Italian nodded and his boss began to tell her tale once again. Every time, her story turned darker, the Italian teen's face became paler and paler and he broke down when he finally heard what was to become of her at the end.

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><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Another short chapter! Ah, we're getting nearer and nearer to the scenes that I want to write out. Yay, Lambo gets a chapter for himself, well, ish. Let's see who's left out of Tsuna's Guardian? Oh, his part is going to take such a spin. Just who are the two men left for Tsuna to test? That is for you to guess and for me to write out, though I think it's quite obvious so far, I think... I find it funny how I contradict myself saying that I won't use character to just make the plot flow, but I can't help it. Ah... Fail, just fail...

Yay, I got myself some reviews. Thank you so much. I hoped you enjoy reading this chapter and definitely look forward to the next one. It's going to be long. Once again, thank you and please review.


	12. The Lightning Lights the Sky

Running his callous fingers through his thick curly tresses, Lambo used his other hand to cover mouth when he let out a yawn. Tilting his head to the side to get a get a better look, he eyed the digital clock placed on the night stand. Several seconds later, he eventually pushed off the covers, initiating the start of a new day in his young life. After stretching and loosening up his muscles and limbs, the Bovino male sluggishly walked to his bathroom, staring into the mirror with minor annoyance.

His eyes were still swollen around the edges from crying the night before. He gave up at the idea of using facial products to conceal it. He did not care if they were made to be waterproof or whatever. He had no knowledge of how to use the product or removing it, so with one mistake, he would be screwed. Plus, he heard how those products can ruin the skin and he did not need anything ruining this handsome face of his. It was better to be mocked about crying rather than be caught wearing some female product; he had his pride to protect. Picking up the toothpaste in one hand and his toothbrush in the other, he started his daily routine.

Tossing his cow-printed pajamas into a laundry basket, Lambo slipped on a pair of traditional white slacks. He was about to throw on his usual cow-printed shirt but decided to wear something else for a change. After his crying session with Tsuna, he could not help but feel like he was acting so immature, so incompetent, ignorant of what was going on around him.

The teen knew that Tsuna was hesitant about putting him in the front lines, even though it was his duty as her Lightning Guardian. Even Reborn had to scold as well as mockingly torturing her that it was Lambo's place to be out there. It was something he took for granted; had had always thought Tsuna would always keep him out of danger, out of harm's way. But after hearing from her, that she did not want to lose anyone, she would rather risk her own life to keep them alive, he felt like trash. He was fifteen now, fifteen… Ten years really flew by. To normal people, it must have been long, but to him, it was short, terribly short with all events surrounding his family. Taking the thought seriously, he looked down at his hand that slowly curled into a fist with a newfound confidence. He would start acting more mature, taking one step at a time.

He rummaged through his unkempt closet, making a mental note to remember to clean it soon, and found a forest green vest Mama had sent him for his birthday awhile back along with a black long-sleeved dress shirt. Putting the two together, he looked into the full length mirror hanging on the closet door, straightening his collar up before propping on a white tie. Tying it all together with a loose tie tucked beneath his vest and a few undone buttons at the top, Lambo strolled out of his room, a bit nervous to meet his boss but at the same time excited.

* * *

><p>When the young Bovino entered the meeting room, he found himself smiling widely at the face no had arrived except for Tsuna. The rest of the Guardians should be getting ready or barely waking up by now as well as for everyone else. He had originally thought only Tsuna and Reborn would be here, since the brunette had to set up for the meeting while the Sun Arcobaleno was, well, being himself. He considered himself lucky to catch his boss alone. He had one chance to do this right and he did not want other people to listening in or interrupting it.<p>

Spotting Tsuna across the room, Lambo quickly turned around and closed the door behind him. He slowly tiptoed to where she was sitting from behind, tapping her on the shoulder. When she turned around, he greeted her with an awkward smile and a 'good morning'. Noticing that he had her full attention, he started to feel more nervous, but he planted his feet firmly on the ground. There was no way he was going to back down now.

The brunette was surprised to see that it was Lambo who arrived first. Usually, the teen came in much later. She noticed that there was something different about him. It was not just his outfit, but it seemed like the air around him was definitely different. There was a certain bounce to it, but it has something that she could not quite put her finger on it. If she could portray it right, then it felt like the teen had matured and moving forward with resolve. She noticed that he was trying to tell her something but it would not come out. "Lambo?"

He took a deep breath and looked straight in to her eyes. Getting down on one knee, he took her hand into his, placing a delicate kiss on the Vongola ring and then on the back of her hand. "I, Bovino Lambo, pledge myself to Sawada Tsunayoshi." He looked up at her, revealing his determined devotion to her in his fern green eyes.

Tsuna's eyes widened to a certain degree. This was really a shock. Kissing the ring meant that he has swore his loyalty and his life to her. Pledging was something not be taken lightly. She had told many people, especially her Guardians, that they should only do so when they really wanted to, not out of obligation. However, Lambo's pledge shocked her the most. He was not pledging himself to the Vongola, not to the Vongola boss, not to the Vongola Decimo, but to her.

Lambo's expression faltered for a bit and sighed. His eyes narrowed at her shocked expression, a bit annoyed that she was taking him lightly. Not letting go of her hand, he flicked her in the forehead with his free hand. "Is it that hard to believe?"

The brunette, still awestruck, slowly nodded as she watched Lambo placing himself in a seat next to her. "I-I mean, we're about you, Lambo. You should already know how everyone sees you." She stopped talking for a moment. Her eyes widened when she came to a realization. "L-Lambo, if this is about yesterday, if I somehow made you feel like you had to do this, I c-can just act like this nev–"

Lambo tightened his grip around her hand, signaling her to stop talking. "No, I did this on my own. No one pushed me to do this, nor did I feel like I had to do this. I… I just came to a conclusion that I need to grow up and I have to act my part, as your Guardian and as your family… Not that I'm going to stop being immature all the time, but at least I'm willing to act." His grip on her hand tightened as his body moved forward, trying to hide his embarrassed expression from her eyes as he looked down at the ground. "And I just want to see you smile more…"

Tsuna's eyes widened once more before smiling. Taking her free hand, she pinched the boy's cheek, laughing as he squirmed in her hold.

Lambo looked at her confused and then glared as he rubbed his red cheek. "What was that for? I was being serious, you know." He immediately let go of her hand when he realized that she might pinch his other cheek, this covering his cheeks with both hands, allowing the brunette to laugh at his actions once more.

She smiled and got out of her seat. Slowly, removing his hand from his cheek, the brunette caressed the red cheek. "I know." She bended down to meet his eyes with a smile he was familiar with. She moved closer to whisper into his ear. "Thank you, Lambo. Hearing you say that makes me very happy, thank you." When she moved away, she ran her fingers through his hair, smiling as the blushing Bovino looked away in embarrassment and content.

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><p>Seconds later, the door opened, revealing Reborn with a cup of espresso in his hand. He noticed that there was a blushing cow sitting next to his student while the latter herself seemed to be proud about something. Whatever that was making her smile made him slightly curious, but he would not pry into his student's private affairs unless it was good blackmail. Taking a sip of his drink, he placed himself in a seat, eyeing the two before speaking. "What's with you two this morning?"<p>

"N-Nothing." Lambo straightened his sitting position and reverted to his almighty pose, making Reborn roll his eyes.

"You know that's not your seat, right?" Reborn leaned on his hand, using his elbow as support on the table. Moving his cup toward his lips once again, he took a quick glance at his student, a bit interested in why she had that content smile on her face.

Lambo glared at Reborn. "No one's here yet, so I can sit in any seat I like. There's no rule stating that I can't."

Reborn placed his cup down and coyly smiled at the Lightning Guardian. "Oh? You obey the rules now? Does that mean you've gotten smarter?" Reborn stopped for moment, his eyes looking over the Bovino male for a moment, taking in the changes in how the boy looked, sat, and spoke. "Or is it because you want to change yourself?"

Lambo let out a small growl, his hand itching to grab at Reborn for insulting him. He knew that it was hard to change, especially his bad habits, such as talking down at others and whatnot, but that did not meant Reborn could play him like a puppet. "Stop insulting me."

Reborn let a smirk spread on his face. "Insulting? I'm only telling the truth. You're not going to cry, are you? Then again, this is you we're talking about. You, the pathetic one, the useless one, the immature one, the annoying one, the unnee–"

Tsuna had enough of Reborn's taunting, sending a glare at him. Without looking at Lambo, she told him to get himself together. The teen was about to object, stating that he was okay, but seeing how Tsuna and Reborn had a tense atmosphere around them; he slowly excused himself out of the room.

Reborn looked up at his student from his seat, a bit impressed that she had grown some backbone over the decade. "Why did you stop me?"

Tsuna glared at her tutor. "You were taking it too far, Reborn."

Reborn shrugged as he took another sip. "He's practically an adult now. He's not a child that always needs to be protect, Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna bit back her words. She knew that Reborn was right, but still. "You were going to say that he was unneeded. You know that it is not true, Reborn. Lambo is needed. If you or anyone else thinks that he's not needed, then you and those people are wrong. Lambo is someone I need as well as someone he needs."

Reborn placed his cup on the table. He leaned back in his chair, looking directly at his student. "You are the one who is needed. The cow could be replaced, but not you. You are the person at the center who holds everyone together. This is the Mafia, Tsuna. You cannot protect everyone and everything precious to you."

Tsuna grinded her teeth against each other. "I know that, but…"

"There are no but's. I've taught you many times about how a boss should act and how he or she should treat his or her subordinates. You are making the line between boss and subordinate blurry." He picked up his cup, blowing on it a bit before drinking and then placing it back then. "This is one of your bad traits, Dame-Tsuna. Fix it or I'll fix it for you." He looked at her with cold eyes.

Tsuna continued to glare at Reborn, her anger slowly dispersing, replacing itself with self-regret. "I don't care if I'm blurring the line. There are people I want to protect and nothing is going change that, not even you, Reborn. I'm the person to change how this family works, not you, Reborn. I don't care if lines are becoming blurred. I don't care if I'm the center of everything. Those people you picked to be near me, I'm sincerely glad for that. But now, you're acting as if they threaten my very existence. Make up your mind, Reborn." She noticed that Reborn still had that look on his face, making her groan. "You know what? I'm done talking. If you're going to be like that, so be it. But know this; if someone says that you're unneeded, they're wrong. You are also someone I need." She dropped the conversation as she walked past him and exited the doors.

Confirming that she had left and the doors were closed, Reborn dropped his mask and let out a low growl. He took his fedora off his head and ran his finer angrily through his locks of hair. He perfectly understood what she said and what it meant. Looking down at Leon, he sighed. Maybe he did take it too far, but still that girl still did not realize how precious she was to others as well to himself. He was not kidding when he said that she was the center. The way the family was changing, the way the people change due to meeting her, the way how she carried everything, she was the support that holding everything up. However, fate was cruel, tossing her into this world, this world of bloodshed and corruption.

He let out a sigh as he leaned back on his seat, looking up at the ceiling. He was losing his cool around her too easily. Mending this was not going to be easy. It was not like back then. The brunette had suddenly grown up to be excellent boss and companion. She was no longer alone. He provided that to her, so it must have hurt when he said that they could easily be replaced. Be told that someone you cared about could be easily replaced by someone else was not easy to adapt to. Honestly, he had seen so many people fall before him, people he swore to protect when he was young. Due to those experiences, he told himself that he would not let anyone get near, but even he could do that... Stubbornly, Reborn finally came to a conclusion; he was afraid of losing her to the hands of death.

* * *

><p>Xanxus's hand hovered on top of the door knob, but a certain redhead caught his eye, preventing him from going any farther. Taking a step away and a turn on his heels, he walked over to where the Shimon head was standing. His eyebrow rose when the redhead let out a sigh. "What's with you?"<p>

Enma weakly smiled. "The usual… and that Reborn got her mad…" Enma rubbed his temples as he remembered the memory about when Tsuna came out of that room, looking angry and sad at the same time. Once he heard Reborn's name, he knew what to do right away as he tried to comfort her. When the brunette finally settled down, she told him to go on ahead since she needed to find Lambo.

Xanxus really wanted to smack the male in front of him. And to think, he finally convinced himself that the redhead could be considered a companion, not a friend. He was be damned if he ever used that word. He could not believe that he was still worried about that brat. Then again, he was too, but it was tiring and it just pissed him even more when the woman would strain her smile in front of everyone. It was so annoying that he wanted to smash her face into the wall to get rid of that stupid look on her face. The people he wastes his time with… "Would it kill you if you stopped thinking about her?"

Enma's eyes widened but they soon softened. "If I stopped thinking about her, I would lose my reason to being alive. Sure, life is something I should not throw away, but she was the one who picked me up. If she hadn't, I would have kicked the bucket years ago with that ordeal with Daemon Spade. She's the only one who I'm willing to lay down my life for. I'm even willing to use underhanded methods to help her, but that would make her sad, so I won't." He noticed that Xanxus was silent and smiled. He walked passed Xanxus, placing a hand on the older male's shoulder. "Yeah, it would kill me." Not being able to take it anymore, he let out a small chuckle that knocked Xanxus out of his daze. "I'm kidding. If I got myself killed or even dared to kill myself, it would hurt her. I wouldn't dare cause her anymore unneeded pain.

Xanxus frowned as he watched the redhead walk away in the opposite direction of the meeting room. That brat was a force to be reckoned with. He was no longer a good-for-nothing boss. Considering what happened at the inheritance ceremony back then, the brat did not hold back when he beat up all those girl's guardians to a pulp. If he was asked who the brat resembled the most, he would bluntly answer that marshmallow freak. They both hide a mask on their face, not many knew what lurked underneath. Over the years, he managed to learn that appearances were not to be taken seriously, but idiots were always going to be idiots.

* * *

><p>Tsuna had slumped back into her seat, muttering about Nii-san missing the meeting once again. When she came back with Lambo, Reborn was no longer in the room much to her relief. Since it was just the two of them alone and they did not know what to do to pass the time, they resorted to having a staring contest. Only a few seconds into the game, Lambo had tears falling from his face, making Tsuna laugh, earning a glare from the young male. She was glad that their relationship was not as strained as she originally thought. She noticed Enma and Xanxus taking their seats, as the former let out a sigh and the latter growling. "Did something happen?"<p>

Enma looked at Tsuna and tried to wave the nervous air around him. Maybe he messed with Xanxus too much. "Nothing too serious. Just a small talk, right, Xanxus?" He looked over to the older male, who scoffed at him, making the redhead awkwardly laugh. Turning his attention back to Tsuna, Enma smiled. "From the way you and Lambo were acting earlier, I take it not all your Guardians as are clueless as I originally thought. And I take it that you told Lambo." He chuckled when Tsuna lightly punch him in the arm.

"From what I heard, someone told Chrome?" Tsuna looked at Enma with a smug look as her friend looked away. "Don't regret telling her."

"I won't." Enma smiled in return as he proceeded to talk to Tsuna about Lambo's swollen eyes, earning a glare from the Lightening Guardian. He inwardly sighed to himself as he messed with Tsuna a bit more before the meeting. The days to come might not end with so much laughter.

When everyone had arrived including Reborn, who stood against the window sill, Tsuna was about to start the meeting but Lussaria and Fran came walking into the room with scratches and mud on their uniforms with a stack of disarrayed papers. Tsuna excused herself from the meeting for a moment, pushing the two out of the room, fretting over the males like a mother. She took the stack from them and ushered them to go take a quick shower and to get some rest. Before they could argue, she told them that she would get someone to fill them in on the meeting later, much to their dismay. Seeing how intent she was, made the two go on their way.

Tsuna liked it when her family was healthy. People who were sick and weak had no use in the battlefield and a higher chance of dying, something that she did not want. After that, Tsuna returned to the room and started the meeting with doors closed and windows shut.

* * *

><p>Before the brunette could adjourn the meeting, Reborn covered his mouth with his fedora, pulling her back into her seat with another hand. Leon looked at his master and then at his student with apologetic eyes.<p>

Pushing the fedora out of her face, she glared at Reborn. "Reborn, if you had something to say, then you should have told me." Tsuna sank her in her seat, diverting her eyes away from her tutor. She was not ready to forgive him. She had to reflect on his words as well as her own. He had a reason for saying those things, she knew that. It was just that, right now, she was not ready, that was it.

"You would have ignored me." Reborn looked at his student out the corner of his eye, a bit hurt that she was still angry. This was not going to be easy, he thought. Slowly pushing aside his argument with Tsuna, Reborn looked at the occupants in the room, confirming that he had their attention before continuing. "Anyway, from the looks of it, it appears to be that the failed negotiation Yamamoto and Dame-Tsuna went to are linked to the Estraneo. Yamamoto, continue from there."

Yamamoto nodded and looked at the three family heads. "Using the information Reborn and I obtained from the prisoner; it appears to be that he was supposed to meet with one of the higher-ups to report on his mission at a casual restaurant in a couple weeks in Italy. Apparently, they both waited so they can move without looking so suspicious."

"Then it would mean that someone has to go undercover, huh…" Gokudera looked at Reborn, who nodded.

"If the prince may speak, then I have a proposal." Bel lazily waved his hand in the air. "I nominate the Decimo and the tonfa wielder to undergo the mission."

"You should know that the boss does not need to go on missions that does not require her assistance unless under dire situations." Reborn eyed the blonde. "No one may know what might happen to her if she gets out there."

Bel waved his finger at Reborn. "Uishishishi, there are plenty of reasons why the Decimo should go. First off, she's a woman. Women are not known to be in a controlling position in the Mafia besides a few, so Decimo here would not be easily recognized. Plus, from what I've heard, she has trained in the art of seduction, yes?" He looked at Tsuna, who awkwardly smiled.

Reborn looked down at his student with his eyebrow raised. When did she learn that? He shook his head of the possibility. It was just not possible.

"Besides, be it mafia or normal people, they would be able to recognize her as a mafia boss. Plus, it looks like she can get out of this stuffy building and experience something else for a change. As for the tonfa wielder, even though he's recognizable, he has yet to be seen with his boss due to him being detached and yada, yada, yada. If we let any of her other Guardians close to Decimo, people would recognize her since it seems like she'll be the only person they're willing to go out with. So with the tonfa wielder, they won't be able to make the link. And since she's with him, she's bound to get some sort of attention, eventually capturing the attention of the man who could possibly be linked to the Estraneo." Bel looked at Tsuna, smirking as he pointed his dagger at her. "Seduce, capture, and then interrogate. It's that easy."

Tsuna dropped her cool and gaped at the grinning prince. He really thought it was easy to seduce? No, it was not. She really wanted to bang her head against the wall. Of all the people he could have choose from, it had to be Hibari-san. She looked over to the mentioned male, hoping that he would say no in this discussion due to his disliking of crowding. "Hibari-san, what do you think?"

"Hn, I have nothing better to do." Hibari looked at the brunette with hidden annoyance when the brunette groaned. Was he really that bad with other people?

The Vongola Decimo really did not want to go on a mission with Hibari. She knew that they had to act like a couple and she was not mentally ready. She had already dealt with three people. She did not know if she could handle Hibari. "Can't I just go in alone…?"

Reborn rolled his eyes and smacked her behind the head, getting a yelp out of the female. "Idiot, if you went in a lone, no one would be able to get close to you if you actually let something slip and become a hostage. At least, Hibari has some experience in doing these kinds of missions."

Tsuna grabbed the back of her head, diverting her eyes towards the ground instead of glaring at Reborn. She hated when he was right. She hated that she could not fight back. "Fine…"

Hibari watched the scene play out in front of him, taking note that the female omnivore appeared to be in some of fight with the carnivore since she would not meet his eyes. "When is the appointed date?" He did not need to see any needless drama.

"Meet her in front of the mansion at 5:00 PM in two weeks on Thursday. Two other people will be joining you as well, but they would be arriving in separate cars. That's all."

With the sound of the doorknob turning and the wooden door closing behind him, Hibari Kyouya had exited the room.

Seeing that the meeting was finally finished, Tsuna adjourned the meeting, watching as everyone left the room, meaning the Varia members except for Xanxus. Everyone else remained in the room. "From the looks of it, you all want to say something to me?"

Gokudera locked eyes with his boss. His words, at first, did not come out at first due to her gaze making his mouth go dry, but he pulled himself out of it. "J-Jyuudaime, may I be honest with you?"

Tsuna tilted her head to the side, confused at her Storm Guardian's strange behavior. If he wanted to say something, then he would have said it already. Nonetheless, she motioned him to continue. "What is it?"

"A-Are you hiding something from us?"

Lambo felt his body go tense, looking out the corner of his eye to see Chrome's fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

Tsuna looked at Gokudera with an unreadable expression despite the smile on her lips. "Why would you say that?"

Yamamoto noticed that Gokudera looked defeated so he spoke up for his friend. "Tsuna, you've been isolating yourself in your office. We haven't been able to talk to you or meet you. Barely any of us has had contact with you." Yamamoto glanced at his fellow Guardians, who nodded except for Mukuro, who had his eyes closed.

The brunette's eyes widened for a moment before a small mysterious smile slipped on her lips. "Yes, I am hiding something from you."

Gokudera blinked a couple of times, trying to swallow what she said. "Then, why can't you te–"

"Gokudera, everyone has a secret to hide, even you. It's well known that everyone has secrets. I'm sure that everyone is hiding something from me. The same goes for me. I'm okay with that. As for locking myself in my office, I just got busier, that's all."

Chrome tried to stop herself from crying. She wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. She could not bear to see that fake smile on her boss's face. It made her very uncomfortable. She could say that the same thing was happening to Lambo. With him sitting next to her, she could see that the teen wanted to smack Gokudera and Yamamoto for saying something so careless. But that was the problem. Because the rest of them did not what was truly going on, they could not move.

"Bossu, I'll be excusing myself. Lambo, let's go." She pulled the Bovino up by his arm, seeing the shock etched in his eyes before realizing what she meant.

Tsuna's smile faltered for a moment but she waved at them as they got up. "Chrome, meet me out in the backyard around sunset. I want to talk to you."

Chrome stopped walking for a moment before turning to see her boss's face. She took a deep breath and bowed to her. "Until then."

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

First off, I would like to say that I would not be updating in awhile. School is coming up in about two weeks and I still have a pile of books to read before then... And calculus to do... Ugh... I will try to get this story updated in September, no promises though.

I had such a writer's block. I actually came up with like six scenarios on how this chapter could have played out. Not to mention, I rewrote Lambo's part five times... Also, I had to write about Reborn... He's such a difficult character to write. I'm not even quite sure if I've caught his character or not. Since I won't be updating for awhile, I will working on how to develop Chrome since it's her chapter next and some of Hibari. Two very difficult characters to write about since they don't get much character exposure in the manga, mainly Chrome, sadly.

Anyways, I would like to thank those who reviewed. I tried my hardest to make this chapter work and I would like to hear what you have to say. Once again, thank you for reviewing. I hope my writing has not faltered and if it did, well, that's just something extra I have to work on.


	13. The Mist Wanes with Doubts

The season of autumn had arrived in Europe. It brought along its soothing essences as well as coaxing the season of winter to follow in its path, the calm before the storm, to be exact. The air was not as humid as it was during the summer. The wind currents moved in and out through the Italian peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The rich color of the green grass faded in color and its touch had become coarse.

Leaves, ranging from colors of yellow and red to orange and brown, slowly made their way to the ground, floating downward rather slowly like the sakura back in Namimori. The leaves gathered along the graveled path, leading the Vongola Mansion to the gate reaching towards the outside world. It made the road glow with a warm complexion as the sun slowly hid behind the horizon of the mountains with its rays tinting the sky with a variety of warm colors. The day was soon drawing to an end.

* * *

><p>The female Vongola Mist Guardian watched the scenery play before her as she waited for her boss to arrive. She sat a small wooden bench placed on the side of the graveled path underneath the shade of one of the large trees overlooking the path. She looked away from the mansion and concentrated on the small hard-covered book in her hand, becoming more interested in its twisted plot. She did not realize that time was passing by rather quickly.<p>

Her dark violet locks lightly swayed to the right as a soft breeze caressed her, blowing some strands loose and moved them in front of her face. With a free hand, she carefully tucked the stray strands behind her ear. She dejectedly closed her book, placing a hand on her black eye patch that was covering her missing eye, embellished with a silver skull. A soft sight escaped her lips as she tried to relax, allowing her arm to cover her sight while the other hung on the bench as she rested her head on the back of the bench with her head facing the skies.

Just what did her boss wanted to talk to her about? Did she do something that she was not supposed to do? Did she know something that she was not supposed to know? Had she overstepped some sort of unknown boundary or line during her line of work?"

Her old personality slowly began to resurface as she fretted over the thought that she may have caused problems for her dear boss. It eventually led to her ponder whether it was a good idea to come to Italy when she could have been somewhere else like Japan, where she could have been of better use by protecting her boss's loved ones.

One Mist Guardian was surely enough for the current Vongola boss. Chrome was sure of the fact that Mukuro-sama was a better mist flame user that she was, especially when the former had been living with the knowledge of the Mafia practically his entire life as well as possessing the talent, the skill, and he surely had the experience to prove it. She, on the other hand, was giver her abilities by the mentioned male, even though he had constantly told her that she already had the talent; he just unlocked it for her.

That time when she believed that she could prevent the XX Burner from obliterating both her and Enma-kun, Mukuro-sama had to step in to help her despite his weak state, since her power was simply not enough. It only further bothered her that she was not as strong as she originally thought, allowing a major blow to her self-esteem and confidence. Her abilities proved to be somewhat useless in dire situations. Most of the time, she was the one who need the rescuing, a trait of hers that she thought of as despicable. Unlike Haru and Kyoko, she actually had the ability to fight but it just did not work out. In the end, there was really no need for her to be here when she could have of been of better use somewhere else.

Chrome let out a frustrated groan as she let her arm drop to the side, while her eye gazed at the hovering clouds above her. She felt disappointment flowing throughout her body, making her feel more heavy and tired than usual. She sighed; she should not be thinking like that.

Those incidents had happened years ago. She had changed since then. She had trained herself under the guidance of Mukuro-sama alongside with Fran with secret assistance from Mammon. Her skills were not as polished as the male mist users, but her efforts in improving herself were definitely showing when she came back from successful missions often unscathed.

She was also no longer that feeble, timid girl she once was. There were still traces of her former self during formal times, but at the very least, she grew a backbone, holding her ground against several of the most powerful and influential hit men around such as Xanxus and Reborn when they happened to be bothersome. She may still hold signs of being hesitant, but that trait only became something useful when she found out its uses. To her, thinking before acting always proved to be a better process of action rather than jumping into a fight unlike her fellow Guardians.

Since she did not stand out as much as everyone else like her boss, she eventually gained the ability to be observant of others, determining if they were friend or foe, normal or affiliated with the Mafia, by the way their body would move and how they would respond to various actions. She even took up several years of psychology and became a part-time psychiatrist. She even went as far as going to America during her long vacations, sitting in on court hearings, to evaluate how people during trail would react during such times of pressure and distress, to be coy or to break down. All of this just to improve her observation skills.

Then, there was Bossu. Mukuro-sama may have given her another chance at life, but it was Bossu, who allowed her to take charge of the life she was given to when Mukuro-sama started to allow to her be more independent of her actions, instead of depending on him. The brunette told her that she did need anyone to depend on in order to be valued. She had already proven herself to be someone to be valued, not someone who had to prove their value. She was already someone considered precious and no one could replace the spot she had in the brunette's heart.

All these years, she had considered herself to be a person the brunette could depend on, someone she could talk to, a friend who could truly see who the brunette truly was and she had not failed until now, that is. It was a fact that most of her fellow Guardians had slowly changed their views of their boss from a friend to someone they looked up to and to protect, instead of a human being, a woman.

A bittersweet smile slowly made its way on her face. To her surprise, it turned out to be that the brunette did not tell her everything. When she had confronted Xanxus after Bossu had fainted, he glared at her and questioned if she was ready to keep an important secret to herself. Nodding a bit too quick in response, Chrome was told of the brunette's kidnapping, her current physical condition, what the brunette was planning to do, well, what Xanxus thought she was planning to do. She had come to realize that even though she was so close to the brunette than most people, there were people who were even closer to the boss.

The female Mist Guardian sighed once more. She should really stop thinking pessimistically right after thinking so optimistically. Lifting herself off of the bench, Chrome brushed her skirt of any dust that may have gathered on her with her back facing the mansion, tucking her book under her arm. Thinking that she could probably take a quick walk around the gardens, Chrome decided it was best to calm down her nerves before meeting with her boss. She did not want to say something out of nervous tension that may insult the brunette by accident.

Her ears picked up the sound of heels clicking against the loose stones on the graveled path, stimulating the panic slipping onto Chrome's face but it quickly went away when her lips formed a thin frown once she realized that those steps sounded heavier than those of her boss. Turning around real quick, Chrome caused a dagger to materialize in her hand and threw at the stranger as a warning to get away from her or else, while her other hand was in her pocket, gripping the hilt of an actual dagger hidden away. To her surprise, the stranger was unfazed by the dagger and somehow made the dagger vanish into nothing. Chrome's eyes narrowed as she placed herself into a standing position. This person was an illusionist, a skilled one. Apparently, recognition was one-sided between the two since suspicious dark violet met with amused light lavender. "What brings you here?"

The stranger who stood before Chrome happened to be one of the maids working at the mansion, but she was no ordinary maid. This person happened to be her boss's personal maid, but her name escaped Chrome's mind.

The maid bowed to the female illusionist, out of respect to her mistress's Guardian. From a glance, the maid looked a few years older than the brunette and appeared to be a bit taller as well. But there was something about her that made Chrome deemed her as someone that has yet to be trusted and highly dangerous.

Snow white locks of naturally wavy hair cascaded down the maid's back, ending just around her waist. Bangs were swept to the side, being held up by a white orchid hairclip, revealing a beautiful set of light lavender eyes.

Chrome silently examined the maid's expression. Those eyes were eerily similar to someone she could not recall but the way those lips curved into a smile was a mask she was all too familiar with since her time around Mukuro-sama. "What are you doing here? I'm sure that someone who is placed by the Decimo should always be by her side."

The maid's eyes had the same glint of amusement in them as she analyzed Chrome's attitude towards her. She glanced at the book tucked under Chrome's arm, recognizing the title of the classic. "My, I did not know you took interest in such books, Dukuro-sama. Tell me, who do you relate to the most?" The maid simply smiled at the irked female, ignoring the scowl on the Mist Guardian's face.

Chrome stopped herself from scowling at the mocking tone in the maid's voice and took a deep breath. "I know that I did not come here to be insulted." Chrome was growing frustrated with this woman in front of her. This woman definitely got on her nerves like M.M. She eyed the woman. She was still wary of the maid's true nature. After all these years being in the Mafia, no one was considered normal and none was without a motive, which made it even more probable that this woman before her was more than she seemed.

The tips of the maid's lips curved higher as her eyes became narrower as if her interest in Chrome had risen. "I deeply apologize if I may have startled you or offended you in any form." She waited for Chrome to lower her defenses but she continued on when she realized that the female would not stop glaring at her. "Hime, I mean, Tsunayoshi-sama has requested me to inform you that she would like to meet in her office. She apologizes in advance if her change in plans may have been an inconvenience to you. It appeared to be that she remembered she had something to do which took longer than expected."

Seeing that this was going nowhere, Chrome dropped her glare, allowing her usual apathetic expression to return on her face. "I apologize for being rude earlier. Not many people are seen back here nor are they allowed back here."

The maid simply nodded. Light lavender eyes moved away from Chrome's figure and directed its attention to the beacons of orange behind the mountain range. She slipped her hand into her pocket, taking out a silver pocket watch, flipping the cover open. Her eyes seemed unfazed by the time. "Dukuro-sama, I suggest you start walking back. Tsunayoshi-sama should be done around now. Do please take your time."

Chrome nodded as she slowly lowered her guard. "May I ask what your name is?"

The maid simply nodded at the request. "Elaine Turvenion, but I prefer to be called Ella or Touko."

Chrome excused herself first and started to make her way toward the mansion, passing the maid along the way, who just stood there looking in the direction of the rising moon.

Several steps behind the maid, Chrome stopped. She whispered the maid's name on her lips. "Elaine Turvenion…" The name was oddly familiar. She felt like she had heard it from somewhere or from someone. It was not exactly foreign to her ears, but she could not quite remember where she had heard the name before. She turned around to ask the maid, but to her surprise, the maid was no longer there as if the soft breeze whisked her away like the dust drifting in the wind.

Chrome could not help but feel something was amiss as she walked back to where the maid was standing. She was confused of the maid's personality and as to why her body brought her back to this spot. Why did that woman remind her so much of Mukuro-sama as well as another person, but who?

The color of her hair… The color of her hair… Her eyes widened. The resemblance was definitely there. There was only one person she knew who had those same traits: Byakuran Gesso. Suddenly, Chrome whipped her head to look at the bench and then at a window on the walls of the mansion, reacting her senses but she did not see anything there. Chrome's eyes narrowed. Just who was this woman?

* * *

><p>Light lavender eyes watched Chrome's retreating figure as a body materialized on the bench where Chrome was once sitting. An inkling of mist flames could be seen dancing around the woman's figure as they slowly diminished when the body was fully materialized. "I'm impressed. She almost noticed that I was an illusion. Oh, and she was so close to finding where my real body was." A smirked formed on her lips as her tongue ran across them with playful eyes adorning her face, almost like a feline finding a new toy. "It's too bad that I can't play with you now, Chrome-chan. But I promise that we'll get to see each other soon." Elaine laughed to herself as the illusion of her slowly began to fade away. "You are an interesting person, Dukuro Chrome."<p>

Night had began to hasten its pace, crouching onto the Vongola grounds, allowing the moon to take its rightful place in the sky, only to be overshadows by the orange purple glow at the tips of the mountain. Elaine had vanished from sight, leaving a white orchid in her place. The trees creaked as the wind brushed against it. The leaves scratched against the ground as the wind twirled the leaves like a puppeteer as the sound of an amused woman's haunting laugh echoed in the garden.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Looks who's back, haha. Well, I'm not entirely back since school just started for a month already and I have to prepare for testing... Yay... But seeing how my Sundays would not be as used up like the past nine years, I have time write out a chapter or two to fix and post up. I feel like my writing style has changed... It went from simple and direct to descriptive, which is something I blame English for...

Chrome, dear Chrome. I feel like I messed up on her character. In the chapter before, I ended her with being scared of what to expect but here I made her more braver, so I'm like "What is with this transition of sudden development?" Sadly, there is no Hibari in this chapter. There is going to be more Hibari in the future chapters though. His character plays a key role in the plot and somehow sets things off in the turning point of the plot. And I was unable to insert the scenes I wanted into this chapter, but they will definitely be in the next one, for sure. So, who like my OC? Tell me what you think of her.

Anyways, I would like to thank those who reviewed and read m story. I hope I did not disappointment. But if I did, just tell it straight to my face. I won't mind. After all, without criticism, we would be living in a world of sugarcoating words, right? So please review and look forward to the next chapter. I don't know when but I'm currently working on it, that's all for now.


	14. The Moving Cloud and the Insecure Mist

After she excused herself from the meeting room, Tsuna had to ask Enma to hold back her Guardians since she had to go somewhere. The redhead was hesitant, but he knew that she did not want to be troubled anymore than she was. Then again, she was not exactly stressed-free yet since she found herself standing in front of her Cloud Guardian's domain within the mansion grounds aka his room.

Her eyes darted to the left and then to the right as she rose her trembling arm to notify him of her presence. She did not know if she should even knock. Tsuna knew that Hibari liked to sleep, but knocking would wake him. It was highly possible that the man would be irritable since it was "disrupting the peace". She sighed as she left her arm drop to her side, a sign of giving up. It would be best if she asked him tomorrow. There was no need to rush. Everything was set in motion except for minor setbacks such as this.

Nodding to no one in particular, Tsuna reassured herself with a smile. "Yeah… I'll ask him tomorrow. I don't want to bother him anymore today." Taking her words into stride and the need to get away from disturbing the male, Tsuna turned around rather too quickly and collided into someone's chest. Before she could catch her footing, her right wrist was caught by a strong hand and pulled her into its owner's chest. "W-Who…?" Her eyes widened when she saw the color of the violet dress shirt as she looked up. "H-Hibari-san?"

Hibari left out a grunt and slowly loosened his grip on the brunette, a bit disturbed that she was a lot lighter than he expected. It was not that he was saying that she was light, but she seemed to be a bit too light but he concealed it under his expression. "Herbivore, you should know better than to loiter around in the hallways. This area should only be restricted for my leisure." Steel blue eyes bore into caramel brown.

Tsuna nervously laughed at Hibari's choice of wording. Her face immediately turned red when she got a whiff of Hibari's scent when he held her. "I was about to leave, since I thought it would be best to ask you tomorrow." She glanced at Hibari, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Why?"

Tsuna nervously shrugged her shoulders. "I thought you were sleeping…?"

Hibari looked at the brunette, giving her a skeptical look. "Well, if that's all, then you can leave. I don't need to be bothered by your presence, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"B-But, now that you're h-here, I –!" Tsuna unconsciously took a step back when she realized that he had glared at her, her body slightly fidgeting from the familiar action.

"Don't test my patience, herbivore. Don't even bother lying, herbivore." Hibari gently let go of the woman's wrist and looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

Tsuna nervously laughed to the side as she brought her hands behind her back while her left hand wrapped itself around her right wrist. She could still feel his warmth on her skin. "I wanted to ask you something, but it's more of a request though."

Hibari just looked at the brunette with uninterested eyes. He was not someone who would agree into doing something unless it was beneficial to him. Before he could ask her what she exactly wanted from him instead of beating around the bush, he words were cut off by the sound of chirping.

"Hibari! Hibari! Tsuna!"

Tsuna watched with amusement as Hibird flew past Hibari and rested on her shoulder instead of its owner's. "Why, hello to you, Hibird." The brunette giggled as the yellow canary jumped up and down on her shoulder. She did not notice the strange warm glint in her Cloud Guardian's eyes, only to be replaced with slight annoyance. "Aren't you energetic today?"

Hibari scoffed as he allowed his form to slouch a bit. "Hn. He always gets like that when you're here."

The warmth in Tsuna's eyes slowly mellowed into sadness as she felt the bird nuzzled its feathers against her cheek. A small smile appeared on her face she looked down at the mundane ground. "I wonder who's going to be the first one to leave…" She let out a strained laugh when the bird pecked her cheek and angrily chirped at her. "Okay, okay. I'll stop talking about it."

Hibari eyed the brunette, just wondering why she would say something like that.

Why was going to leave? Did she mean the chance to leave the mansion?

He knew that he left Hibird behind when he would go out on long missions while the herbivore would be stuck here in this stuffy building doing who knows what. Unlike the rest of the herbivores that crowded around in the building, this herbivore was difficult to read. She no longer wore her emotions on her sleeve like she used to. He knew that all those emotions were under that boss exterior of hers. He shook the thought away. Thinking about it would just make the truth more blurry and he hated to get his facts messed up. "So, what is it that you need from me?"

Tsuna gave a little pout as she watched Hibird flutter away from her side and resided on Hibari's shoulder. "I thought I was an omnivore… And yes, I want to request your assistance on something."

Hibari gazed at her and let out an uncharacteristic sigh. Why did he even bother staying here when he could be traveling the world, challenging stronger opponents as well as bringing discipline to locations where morals have gone for the worse? He looked down at her. "You're only an omnivore when you're in that mode of yours. Anyways, what is it that you want me to do?" He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes as silence wrapped the three.

Tsuna glared at the Cloud Guardian, even though she knew that she would be asking to be killed for doing such an act. However, she knew that he was right about one thing. She was only her best when she was in Hyper Dying Will mode aka HDW mode. Why was he just like Reborn? She would not lie to herself about the fact that the two were very similar but Hibari was a bit better. She could do without the blunt insults and sadistic persona in return for rude remarks and one-worded answers. "I need you to train me."

Hibari opened one eye. "Just why?"

Tsuna winced at Hibari's sharp tone but took a deep breath and looked at him with resolute eyes. "You should already know but you are one of my strongest Guardians. You are the only one most experienced in a variety of missions. And unlike the others, you know how to fight hand-to-hand. I don't want to endanger anyone while we're in public and I do not want to use my flames since it can reveal who I am and who I am associated with."

Hibari let out a low growl. "Get to the point, herbivore."

"Train me. Fight me. Spar against me, hand-to-hand. No flames, no weapons."

Hibari closed his eyes as he was left to his thoughts which made the brunette feel uncomfortable.

It was an interesting idea. He could not recall the last time he fought without his flames, his box weapons, and his tonfas. When he first entered this Mafia ordeal, he had no idea that they could enhance their abilities with the aid of their flames. Apparently, fighting with flames was a lot more convenient and less messy. However, sighting with flames surrounding parts of one's body in public would probably send people into hysterics and create utter chaos, something he could do without. "Hn, I'll think about it."

Tsuna weakly smiled and shook her head. "If it's troubling you that much, then you can ignore my request. I should ask someone else like Fon. I'm sure that he would not mind teaching me." She muttered a good-bye and walked past the Cloud Guardian.

Hibari inwardly rolled his eyes as he let out another low growl, finding himself displeased that she would go to another man for help when he could fill that role himself. Without much thinking, he was fast enough to place a hand on her head, preventing her from moving any further. "Meet me in the third underground level training grounds 4 in the morning. Don't be late." He then let go of her, a bit surprised at his actions.

Tsuna slowly turned around with a shocked expression on her face, which made her Cloud Guardian slightly scowl at her. Her eyes then softened when the words finally sunk in. "Till then, Kyouya." She smiled at him before excusing herself and walked down the hall toward her office.

Hibari found himself rooted to the ground as a hint of shock flickered across his eyes. Realizing that she had left his side, he was finally able to walk to his room as she occupied his thoughts, ignoring Hibird's frantic chirping.

Why did she come to him when it was likely that he would not even think of accepting such a request? It would be best if that Storm Arcobaleno took care of her, but the thought of the male getting closer to the herbivore was infuriating to him.

Before he could turn the knob, his eye caught a sight of white. He stared at the door a bit longer before turning into the direction of the white object, trying to make sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on himself. To his surprise, the white object turned out to be hair, whose owner was looking at him. He was taken aback by a similar set of lavender eyes looking at him. He took off down the hall to see who this person was, making the yellow canary jump off of his shoulder. But by the time, he got to the end of the hallway; the owner was no longer there. A growl slipped through his lips as he left back to his room. The person was an illusionist that was for sure. Why? His eyes could not make out the face of the owner even though he had perfect vision. This was seriously going to be a pain in his side.

* * *

><p>Tsuna felt a presence walking behind her, who came closer by the second and sighed. "Ella, you should really stop poking fun at people. What you just did is not healthy for Hibari-san. You should know well enough how his temper is like. Anyways, remind me to ask someone for his health chart. I'm getting suspicious that he has developed high blood pressure or low sugar levels. Then again, it could just be him…" Tsuna glanced at her side and sighed once more when she saw an amused smile on her maid's face.<p>

Elaine gazed at her mistress with interest. "After all these years together, you still don't fail to amuse me each and every day. Seriously, you charm quite a variety of people to you, Hime. In return, they happen to be very protective of you." However, Elaine's eyes slightly narrowed as she recalled certain people. "Despite the people who you have attracted, I have to say several of them are buffoons. I'll happily get rid of them if that is what you wish." By the end of her sentence, Elaine laughed with her mistress glared at her and resumed walking. "I'm kidding. If I did that, I would definitely be hated by you." Elaine then stopped walking. Something was bothering her.

"Ella?" Tsuna stopped walking and turned to face her maid.

Elaine looked to the side with a troubled expression on her face. She could not believe that she forgot something important such as that. She made a sound with the click of her tongue but her angry expression was replaced by a smile. "Hime, I was wondering if I could test some of your Guardians. I do ponder how they will be able to resist my–"

Tsuna was a bit shocked in Elaine's sudden change in behavior but decided it was best to ignore it for now, that is. If something made someone like her make a face like that, something was definitely up. However, it was best to follow along with Elaine's train of thought. After all, the woman was quite skilled in getting off topic with her threats. "Ella, don't even dare think about it. But since you already thought of the idea, I can't stop that now. I just don't want you to violate anyone with your words or your eyes. I'm sure Mukuro has taken up that role and it looks like he won't be giving it up anytime soon." The brunette really wanted to ask Elaine what was wrong, but the way her maid was looking at her was like she was some delicacy. "P-Please stop staring at me."

Elaine smirked as she took a step back. At least, her mistress would not be asking her questions anytime soon. It should be enough time until the brunette starts asking. "Hime, didn't you know that you're quite a person to look out? I might have to say that you were some creature that leapt out of some person's portrait and was given life to walk on this earth." Elain laughed when she saw flushed expression on her former student's face. "I look forward to the result of your upcoming mission, Hime. After all, it was I who taught you how to seduce and much more."

Tsuna sighed when she turned to the right at the corner with Elaine still following her. Great… She thought she was going to be able to go through the day without the mention of that mission, but sadly, life had other plans for her as Elaine continued speaking.

"I'm surprised that none of the men around you has yet to court you. Wait, I called them buffoons, so I'm not sure why I should expect anything from them. There is Enma, but… Anyway, this just further proves that those imbeciles don't know what's in front of them."

The brunette groaned. "Please don't remind me and please stop insulting my family."

Elaine just smiled as she sped up to keep her pace with Tsuna's steps. "Hime, they're my family as well, even if they do not know it yet."

Tsuna raised an eyebrow at her maid. "You're going reveal yourself? I'm sure that you know who you are related, right? Even your brother was not easily accepted by the others."

Elaine rolled her eyes. "Please, do not remind me, Hime. Even if I was a part of his family, I am now a Vongola and forever will as long as you're leading it. Plus, that man is way too affectionate and obnoxious." She cringed at the memory of the time she foolishly brought her brother a bag of marshmallows when she decided to visit him. That was a mistake when she surely thought she was going to die from him suffocating her with his bear hug. "Considering what his other selves have done to you, I think I shouldn't be surprised that it was you who allowed him to become an ally of the Vongola."

Tsuna sighed. She took a quick look at the white-haired woman and noticed the white orchid hairpin. It was best not to say anything. It was strange how Elaine said that she wanted nothing to do with her brother even though she's wearing his gift right now… Tsuna shook her head as she continued to walk to her office.

Noticing that her mistress was thinking about something, Elaine slipped her hand into her pocket, taking out her beloved pocket watch. Flipping it open, her eyes narrowed when she realized what time it was. It seemed like she was not going to be able to have fun while she was on her mission. Rather, she was restricted due to the amount of time. "Hime."

Tsuna inwardly winced at the cold tone of Elaine's voice and turned around. "I'm guessing you have to go now."

Elaine nodded as she slipped her watch back into her pocket. "I didn't realize how late it was. It looks like I can only leave them off with a threat."

Tsuna looked at her with a puzzled look. "I'm going to assume that you have something else to do tonight."

Elaine nodded once more. "I have to make several arrangements before I can take Dukuro-sama under my wing like I did with you. I know that I agreed to look over her, but since she is not mentally and emotionally strong as you, I have to make arrangements to act as a cushion."

Tsuna nodded. She had to agree. Even if they all grew up after all these years, Chrome was still living in the past, though it was something done unconsciously. "I understand." There was silence between the two and then Tsuna spoke with concern in her eyes. "Be safe, Elaine."

Elaine softly smiled at her mistress and bowed. "Then, I bid you good night."

She only had to blink once to notice that Elaine was no longer in front of her. She then sighed as she resumed her walk back to her office.

Tsuna could not believe that her former mentor was now her maid, even if the woman was older than her by three years. She ran a hand through her long locks as she became increasingly aware of the potential danger she was about to send Chrome into. Elaine was someone who was not easily pleased, considering how well she played her double personality façade. Even the brunette had a hard time pleasing her. Heck, the woman was tougher than Reborn. Her eyes wandered off as she looked beyond her, wondering if she was doing the right thing by directly uprooting a person's sense of security.

* * *

><p>Chrome could not believe how dark it had gotten when she found herself in from of her boss's office door. She did not know the room was so far from the gardens, since it was her time walking from there to here. Not to mention, she had gotten lost a couple of times. She straightened her suit and began to turn the door knob to the room.<p>

"Chrome, I didn't expect you to be here before me."

Chrome suddenly took a step back from the door and looked to the source of the voice. "Bossu?" She was surprised that she was actually earlier than her boss. She guessed she was more anxious than she had originally thought. "I'm sorry. I should have knocked before I opened the door but I thought you were already inside."

Tsuna walked up her Guardian and shook her head. "No, it's fine. Anyway, let's go in. I have to tell you something important anyway." The brunette walked past the female mist user and entered her room.

Chrome could not help but feel that her boss was acting cold towards her despite her affectionate expression this afternoon.

Unknown to Chrome, there was a look of concern on the Vongola Decimo's face as she approached her desk, but it was immediately erased she heard the door close behind her. "You would want to sit down for this, Chrome."

Chrome sensed something was wrong especially with the way the brunette was talking to her. She was right; the brunette was acting cold to her. "Yes…" Chrome hastily took her seat, trying to look so frantic. She looked at her boss from the corner of her eye but she could not decipher the expression the brunette had on.

Tsuna shuffled behind her desk and took out a file from one of her cabinets, slowly walking over to where Chrome was sitting. Her expression hardened as she rudely dropped the folder in front of the female Mist Guardian, startling the woman a bit. She placed herself in a seat across from Chrome and motioned her to look at its contents.

Chrome hesitantly reached out with one arm and took the folder into her lap. Using her left hand, she opened it, only to have her eye widening at its contents. There were several papers clipped together about her information. There were also several documents of where she would be staying, where she was going to school, etc... Everything seemed to be paid for and there was a checkbook with a considerable amount of money already deposited into the account. To her surprise, there was a passport and a plane ticket to Japan… No… This could not be what she was… "B-Bossu?"

Tsuna just looked at the woman sitting across from her with cold, distant eyes. She had yet to speak.

"W-What is this about?"

"What do you mean? What does it look like I'm trying to imply by giving this to you?" Tsuna gazed down at her illusionist's hands, a bit bothered by the fact that they were shaking. Had this woman ever been this fragile?

Chrome swallowed the air in her throat. She was feeling scared. A side of her felt betrayed but there was no way she was going to voice that. "Y-You're sending me to Japan, I presume?"

Tsuna looked at the female illusionist. "You are to leave Japan in two days. You are not allowed to return until I say you're allowed to come back. Plus, it seems like you are more suited to be there instead of here. I'm sure we will be able to last without you here." Tsuna stood up and glanced down at her Guardian. "You should get some sleep, Chrome. I'm sure that you're going to need it."

Before Chrome could speak, she noticed that the brunette was no longer in the room. She looked at her papers once more in her lap and rummaged through to make sure her eyes were not lying to her. The ticket to Japan was definitely one way. There was something about this that the brunette was leaving out, but she could not figure out what it was. Tossing the folder out of lap, the papers flung across the floor while Chrome cover her face with her hands as she cried. Why did it feel like she was being tossed away?

Tsuna watched through the opening of the door and gripped her arm. She closed her eyes when she heard Chrome hold back a sob. "I'm sorry, Chrome…" She muttered a quick good night and left to meet up with the Varia and Enma on the next step of their plan. "I'm sorry…"

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Well, I won't be able to update for awhile, since I somehow misplaced my layout for the next chapter. Those who are wondering why Hibari thinks Tsuna is so light, remember, that she is physically ill. So the woman's lost a considerable amount of weight. Shamal has been helping her maintain her weight so it's average, but lately, she's been busy that she's forgetting to take her daily doses of nutrition and exercise. All the Arcobaleno are in their adult forms though I think I mentioned it before. Um... Elaine has a role in this story, but I'm not sure if she should be something more than she should be or be used to push the plot. I can't control how my characters move and talk. I feel like I made them OC... Like Chrome was so strong in the previous chapter, but now, she's all weak and whatnot. I wonder if it's because she's around Tsuna, that she's like that. Like how you tend to show your weaker side to someone you trust than to some stranger. I don't know, but I guess that works as an explanation, I hope...

Ah, Chrome... Well, I have the feeling that I have to work on Chrome's character. Since she is someone who barely gets development, I feel like I have to give her a chance to grow or to burn. Same thing goes with Hibari, even though there are so many stories about him. But it's true that he also doesn't get development in the manga except to be shown in panels. However, that's my point of view. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of it. I know that there are mistakes here and there. Thank you for reading and look forward to the next chapter.


	15. The Fragile Mist Leaves the Sky

The moonlight poked into the brunette's bedroom as it illuminated the figure on the bed. Tsuna was still wide awake in bed as she shuffled back and forth between her sheets. She let out a frustrated groan and tossed the sheets aside. She pulled on her collar as she became more increasingly frustrated about her situation. She was worried about Chrome so she was not getting any sleep, but she had to wake up early and train with Hibari. She ran her fingers through her hair and then dropped her arms to her sides. "Ah! I don't care anymore!" She got out of her bed and walked to her desk, pulling the phone so it was long enough to sit on her bed instead of the table. She dialed a certain phone number and waited for the other side of the line to pick up. "Please be awake…" After three rings, Tsuna heard the phone being picked up.

"Hello, you have reached the Institution for–"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry for being rude, but is she there at the moment? I need to talk to her."

"My, isn't this the Decimo? Please wait one moment." There was the sound of shuffling on the other side of the line and a couple of yells here and there until it seemed like everything had settled down. "Hello?"

"I'm sorry for calling so early in the morning. I-I was getting worried about Chrome's well-being and I knew that I had to call to make sure that you guys knew what was going on."

"I understand, Tsuna-san. I don't mind. I was about to get up and train anyway. Now then, what is that you need from me?"

Tsuna sighed. "Thank you. Anyway, I need you to…"

* * *

><p>Two days had finally passed ever since that encounter with the maid and her boss. Chrome sighed as she looked over the contents of the folder before taking out the passport and ticket and flinging the rest into her suitcase. She then took the passport and ticket and placed it into the side of her duffel bag. Taking one last look at her room, Chrome pulled her luggage out of her room and closed the door behind her. Rearranging the duffel bag on her shoulder, she made her way toward the stairs to get some breakfast before she had to leave for the appointed time.<p>

"Good morning, Dukuro-sama. Do you mind if I take your luggage downstairs? Don't worry. I heard from Tsunayoshi-sama that you will be leaving here for awhile." Elaine had been standing in the hallway, surprising the violet. "What's the matter? Are you that surprised to see someone awake now? I have to say that it's only 7 in the morning."

"Ah, no… I didn't think Bossu would tell anyone that I would be leaving." Chrome hesitantly let Elaine take her suitcase while she kept on her duffel bag on her. "Elaine–" Chrome shut her mouth when the white-haired maid sent her a cold glare. She suddenly remembered that she preferred to be called Ella. "Uh, Ella-san…?" Chrome let out a sigh of relief when the maid turned around with a smile on her face. Maybe Elaine seemed to be a person was easily pleased. "Um, shouldn't you be with Bossu right now? I think she would be in her office around this time though."

Elaine laughed as she waved her hand back and forth. "Last night, Tsunayoshi-sama told me to take care of you. She said that she would be alright without me there. I trust her word. She was doing well without me before I came along after all." Elaine glanced back and Chrome and wondered if the brunette had told the violet that she was going to Japan with her. It seemed like the Mist Guardian did not know since it appeared to be that she was in her little world. "Dukuro-sama, what would you like to have for breakfast?"

Chrome blinked a couple of times before registering the question. She nervously let out a cracked laugh when she saw Elaine looking at her with amusement. "I don't know. Maybe something light with a cup of milk will do."

Elaine smiled. "I understand." Little did Chrome know that someone was already in the kitchen cooking something for them to eat. Elaine then remembered something important. "Dukuro-sama, please don't feel alarmed when some of the family members approach me with aggression. I'm usually doing errands for Tsunayoshi-sama, so it's very rare that any of them has seen me. Also, there's the fact that I resemble Byakuran Gesso."

Chrome nodded. There was something that was bothering her since Byakuran was brought up. "Um, Ella-san… Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Elaine looked over her shoulder and sighed. "If this is about me being related to Byakuran, then it's a yes. He's my older brother, but we're only half-related. We have the same mother. But please know that, I have a very short temper when he is mentioned or even around me. You can say that we have an on-and-off sibling relationship."

Chrome nodded and silently followed Elaine. At least she now understood why Elaine had two rather different personalities like her brother, but that should be left to be discussed about for another day.

* * *

><p>When they entered the kitchen, Chrome was surprised that breakfast was already laid out for the two people. "Ella-san, did you already prepare this before you went to fetch me?"<p>

Elaine slowly shook her head. "I might be able to cook, but I'm not too well-rounded with cold dishes like this." She motioned Chrome to take her seat as she walked into the kitchen. She slipped her hand into her pocket, slipping her fingers around a pen that hid a needle within it. Closing the door behind her, Elaine let out her murderous intent, basically alerting anyone with malicious intent to show themselves instead of hiding.

Slowly, a man backed away from the own and revealed himself. "Nue dear, please stop doing that. I swear I'm going die early if I feel like I'm going to die any minute."

Elaine smirked and as she removed her hand away from her pocket and controlled herself. "I'm sorry, Lussaria. I was bit surprised that there was already food out. Usually, the chefs come in around now, so I got a bit suspicious."

Lussaria nodded in agreement. "Well, I wouldn't blame you. Who knows what people put in our food? Anyway, from the looks of it, you probably know who prepared it, right?"

Elaine sighed as she looked at Lussaria with concerned eyes. "How was she?"

Lussaria shook his head as he went over to one of the counters and grabbed an apron. "The girl was covered black and blue. It took me awhile to convince her to allow me to heal her until a certain point. Though I think I caught her smiling when she was making your guys' meal. She also told me to tell you that she made extra preparations for Chrome from the Institution."

Elaine whistled. Her mistress must have been in a wreck for the past two days then. "Well, I'll be taking my leave now. I'll keep in contact with you, Lussaria." She bowed and exited through the double doors but not without grabbing a couple of glasses to pour the milk she was holding in her other hand.

Lussaria watched through his sunglasses as Elaine exited the kitchen. He let out a sigh and leaned against one of the countertops. "That woman would be the death of me one day." He seriously thought he was going to die when he felt her aura seep throughout the room. Well, she was not called Nue for nothing. He was glad that this woman was on Vongola's side. Deep down, he knew that even Xanxus would have a hard time dealing with her. He feared the day when they would even meet which seemed to be some time soon.

* * *

><p>Elaine took a seat beside Chrome and poured the milk into the glass cup. "Take your time eating. It'll be awhile until our chauffeur will be here." She let out a laugh when Chrome gave her a puzzled look with a spoon in her mouth. How adorable. Elaine propped an elbow and began the breakfast that set out for the two. If she was right, then this was brunch parfait. It was nice mix of grain and dairy. It was also cool, so it seemed to wake up the senses a bit. Something light to start off the day, huh…?<p>

As Chrome ate her breakfast, she did not realize that the Lightning Guardian slipped into the room. However, she did realize the sudden change in Elaine's personality by the look in her eyes. "Ella-san…?"

"Lambo!" Elaine jumped off of her seat and grabbed the teen before he could escape her grasp. "How long has it been since we last met?" She nuzzled into his curls, wondering how he kept it so soft and bouncy.

Lambo was shocked to see Elaine walking about in the mansion. He thought she was going to continue to move about in the shadows but he guessed wrong. "Ella-san, please let go of me. Yes, I miss you too. But I want to get something to eat before Reborn comes here and steal my food."

The white-haired maid immediately let go of Lambo and dragged him into her seat. "Here, eat that parfait. Eat it all. Don't even let Reborn eat it, Lambo. This is a delicacy that man is never allowed to have as long as I exist in this place."

Chrome's eyes widened at Elaine's interaction with Lambo. She decided to keep to herself and continued munching on the sweet almonds dipped into the yogurt.

"Now then, I'll be right back. I have to change out this attire before I leave. Please watch over Lambo for me, Chrome." Elaine winked at the two and then walked out of the room.

Chrome placed her spoon beside her parfait and looked at Lambo was now dipping his spoon into the dish. "Lambo, what is your relation to Ella-san?"

"Um…" Lambo licked his spoon and pondered for a moment. "You can say that whenever I have to hide from Bakadera, I mean, Gokudera, Mukuro, Hibari, or Reborn, I go to her for protection. Though I think none of them has had contact with her…" Lambo looked down at the parfait and took another spoonful of the cold dish, this time with strawberries.

Chrome hesitated as she took a sip of her milk. "Lambo, don't you think that she's dangerous…?"

Lambo shrugged. "Ella-san might seem like that. Actually, she comes off as intimidating when she first approaches you. I take it that she messed with you when you two first met?" Lambo sighed when Chrome nodded. "She did the same thing to me. But after awhile, you notice that she's not exactly mean. You just have read between her words and figure out what she's really thinking about."

"I see…" Chrome looked down at her parfait and picked up her spoon.

"There is one thing though. She doesn't seem to like any of the other male Vongola Guardians and Reborn except for Ryohei and me. I don't know what she has against them, but it seems that it has to do with Tsuna-nee." Lambo took a sip of the glass of milk and placed it back on the table.

Chrome's eyes narrowed. If Elaine was like that, then she probably knew what was going on with Bossu.

"What's this? Are you guys talking about me?" Elaine was leaning against the door, smirking when Chrome jumped in her seat while Lambo almost fell out of his. "No, go on. I don't mind. I'm actually interested in what people think of me."

Chrome had to admit that Elaine and her brother were really beautiful people. The long snow white locks were now hung freely over shoulders as it gave her that heavenly glow. The woman wore simple pinstripe strapless blouse with a black bow wrapped around her chest along a black skirt rimmed with a white stripe underneath. "You look good, Ella-san."

Ella laughed. "Thank you for the compliment. Now, Lambo, did you finish? It's almost time for Reborn to come up to get his espresso. Too bad, he's not getting it today."

Chrome's and Lambo's eyes widened while Lambo's mouth gaped open. "What?" Reborn without his espresso was like a bear without its honey.

* * *

><p>Within a few seconds, three men strolled into the room. Reborn stopped walking once he got a sight of Elaine. Mukuro was puzzled by the fact there was woman here that he did not know of, while Enma's eyes just widened.<p>

"Sensei, are you done preparing?" Enma stepped out from behind Mukuro and Reborn, not surprised that he was tackled into a hug. "I-I will miss you too."

Elaine nuzzled into Enma's chest. "Enma, why can't she see that she has already someone like you by her side instead of these ridiculous buffoons?" She sent a glare both to the Arcobaleno and the male illusionist.

Enma nervously chuckled as Elaine let go of him. "I see that you haven't changed, Sensei."

Elaine glared at Enma before her eyes softened. "Enma, I'm not your mentor anymore. You don't have to call me that."

Enma smiled. "But it wouldn't feel the same, now would it?" Enma noticed Lambo and Chrome were already in the room and bowed in acknowledgement which the two returned. "Well, I'll go ask the chefs to prepare us something, so please don't try to kill them, Sensei."

"We'll see. We'll see." She laughed when she saw Enma's form deflate. Once Enma was out of the room, her eyes were glued onto Mukuro and Reborn. "Well, good morning, Arcobaleno, Rukudo-sama." The buffoons had arrived. "I don't think we have met yet."

"No, we haven't. I don't recall anyone looking like you allowed in this mansion. Who are you and who let you in?" Reborn held his Leon-transformed gun in his hand and aimed it at Elaine's head. She looked way too much like Byakuran.

Lambo took his cup of milk and swallowed the whole thing and dragged Chrome away from her seat, motioning her to take her breakfast along with her. "Chrome-nee, you'll see why she's intimidating."

"I'm a personal maid of Sawada Tsunayoshi-sama, Elaine Turvenion, but I prefer to be called Ella or Touko." She smirked at Reborn. Now, that she looked closely at him, she had to admit that he was handsome, but he still did not meet her expectations.

"You're no ordinary maid." Reborn's dark expression deepened when it only made Elaine smirk even more. "You look too much like him."

Elaine shrugged and scoffed at the mention of her brother. "So? My loyalty only lies within my mistress, Arcobaleno." She noticed that Mukuro was smirking at her. "Do I amuse you, Rukudo-sama?"

"Oya, aren't you a feisty one? Why, yes. It's not every day that you meet a woman who stands up against the Arcobaleno at point-blank distance." Mukuro noticed that Elaine started laughing. "What's so funny?"

Elaine continued laughing. "Nothing. It's just surprising that you have not yet figured that I'm an illusionist like you."

Reborn had enough and decided to shoot the woman in front of him. To his and Mukuro's surprise, the bullet flew through the woman as her figure faded away. "Tch."

"You should really give out a warning before you shoot, Arcobaleno."

Reborn and Mukuro turned to where Chrome and Lambo were standing, angry at the sound of Elaine's voice. She was someone dangerous.

"Reborn, I'm sure you know that Tsuna keeps strong people near her. I'm just one of the people who have tutored her. You're not the only one. You have heard of Madeline and Guilio, right? Those two actually took her under their wing. You should see how they treat her."

Reborn's eyes widened. When did Dame-Tsuna get involved with such dangerous people? It's not that they were dangerous; it was more like they were Vongola's equivalent in the Americas. "Tell me. What did you teach Tsuna?"

Elaine smirked. "I just taught her the arts of being woman as well as couple of other things." She noticed that Reborn smirked at her, making her glare at him. "Arcobaleno, I should warn you. Don't think that I'm scared of you."

"Why is that?" Reborn placed himself in a seat across from Elaine while Mukuro sat further away.

"Unlike your methods of her torturing her to become where she is today, I resorted to mentally scarring her." Elaine laughed when the gun was in front of her face again. "That won't work on me, Arcobaleno."

Reborn snarled at the woman. "If you mentally scar her, then she would be too afraid to do anything for herself."

The white-haired pushed the gun out of her face with a finger. "Reborn, look at Tsuna now. She's an excellent boss, isn't she? You noticed her sudden change a couple years ago, right? That was because of me, not some realization she suddenly had. That cold exterior of hers, I was the one who placed it there. Why would you let anyone see what's you're feeling, Reborn? I think you should know. I know that it's bad to have a mask, but realize that your emotions can be used against you in this area of business."

Reborn moved his gun back in place and placed it in front of her face. "Don't mess with me."

"Reborn, dear. You should think twice before shooting." Elaine smiled coyly as she moved her fingers.

Reborn's eyes narrowed and growled. She was actually behind him with a needle to his neck. The illusion in front of him disappeared while the woman's laugh echoed behind him. He inwardly shivered as he felt warm breath on his ear.

"I win, Arcobaleno." Elaine's eyes darkened as her lips curved upward. "Now, how should I play wit–"

"Elaine, don't even dare finish that sentence."

The white-haired woman immediately pulled away from Reborn and tucked her needle safely away in her pocket. She walked over to where the source of the sound was and knelt on one knee. "I apologize for my actions, Tsunayoshi-sama." She muttered a string of curses to herself. She knew that Tsuna was not in a good mood today despite her good mood in the morning. To make it worse, she almost lost control of herself.

Everyone flinched at Tsuna's cold tone. Reborn was the first to speak up. "Oi, Tsuna. Who is this?"

"This is my personal maid, Elaine Turvenion, but she prefers to be called Ella or Touko. I met her while we were in Japan a couple years ago. Why…?" Tsuna looked down at Elaine and glared. "You told them of my relationship with you, didn't you?"

Elaine flinched. Her mistress was really not in a good mood. Her eyes widened when she noticed that the brunette's legs started to shake. "I am deeply sorry."

Tsuna glared at Elaine and then looked at Reborn and Mukuro. "I'm sorry for the trouble she caused. I'll make sure that she receives the proper punishment."

Elaine's eyes widened. She immediately got up and looked at Tsuna. "Hime, don't tell me that you're going to–!"

"Elaine, you should know what happens when you step out of line. Don't make me put you somewhere you don't like. Now, don't waste anymore time. Go tidy up and get out of here. You will never how long it will take to get to the airport." Tsuna took a deeo breath and looked at Elaine. "Please…"

Elaine's eyes darkened and decided it was best to leave. "Well, then please excuse us." Elaine looked over to Chrome. "Dukuro-sama, let's go. We don't want to be late to the airport."

"Elaine, you have my permission to drop the act." Tsuna turned around and motioned Lambo to follow her. "I'll be waiting to hear the results."

Elaine nodded and dragged Chrome out of the room. "Chrome, we're leaving." However, the maid stopped walking and looked at Reborn and Mukuro with disgust. "You got lucky this time, you buffoons. If I come back and see what I don't like, then the whole lot of you are going to see hell." She growled at them and then left the room.

Enma just entered the room and noticed that it was really quiet. "Um, what happened?"

Mukuro weakly chuckled. "Kufufu, Tsuanyoshi has hired quite a fearsome maid. That's for sure. Kozato, you met the woman before. Why is it that she seems to dislike us so much?"

Enma awkwardly laughed as he placed Reborn's drink in front of him while placing a plate of breakfast in front of Mukuro. "I can't say why, but I just know that she disapproves of you greatly." Looking at the clock, his eyes widened. "Well, I have to go now. I have to drop off Sensei and Chrome at the airport. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Oi, Kozato. What's with this drink? I know this is not my espresso." Reborn eyed the redhead as he walked toward the door.

Enma pointed at the cup and said something that made Reborn groan. "I wouldn't be surprised. Sensei is the one who makes your espresso after all." Then the redhead left the room.

"Well, wasn't that an interesting morning?" Mukuro chuckled as Reborn leaned back in his chair.

"Don't push it."

* * *

><p>Enma ran faster down the hall but he walked quickly near the corners, since he never knew when Hibari would pop up. Plus, he would be "bitten to death" since he was "running in the halls." Enma picked up his pace when he caught a sight of the brunette and Lambo. "Tsuna!"<p>

Tsuna weakly turned around and faintly smiled when Enma came up to her. "Hey…" Tsuna felt her legs gave out, but luckily Enma caught her. She felt a bit bad that Enma had to carry her to her office. "I thought you were going to drive Ella and Chrome."

"I'm sure that they'll understand how come I'm late." Enma motioned Lambo to follow them. Enma looked ahead of him, but he was still worried about something. "Tsuna, you're really letting her go, aren't you?"

Tsuna tucked her head into Enma's chest. "I did."

"You know that she's not strong enough."

"She's going to have to deal with it…"

Enma sighed. "I know that you're worried about her, but… You should personally know how harsh that training was for you. How can Chrome go through it if she's already shaken up by you?"

Tsuna closed her eyes. "That is something for her to find out on her own. I don't need someone who doubts themselves…"

"Tsuna… You know that she may never come back, right…?" Enma motioned Lambo to open the door in front of him and then they entered her office. He gently placed her on the couch and went to get her a glass of water and her medicine. It was just Lambo and Tsuna alone in the room.

"Tsuna-nee, are you really sending Chrome-nee away?"

Tsuna hesitantly nodded. "She has to decide for herself. If her resolution is wavering, then the chances of her dying become higher. I don't want to lose her, but if she think that it's best to go where she thinks she could be of better use, then I won't stop her. I don't want to see her doubt herself anymore. I don't want her to question herself."

Lambo weakly smiled. "Then, I'll take care of you in her place while she's gone."

Enma came in and smiled. He gave Tsuna the glass of water and her medicine. "Is there anything you want me to give to Sensei before I go?"

Tsuna's eyes softened a bit as she took out an envelope from her pocket and gave it to Enma. "Give that to Ella. She should know what to do with it."

Enma nodded. "I'll see you later then." He then past Lambo and ruffled his locks. "I'll be placing her in your care, Lambo."

Lambo puffed out his chest and glared. "Who do you think you're talking to, Kozato? I'm Lambo. Why wouldn't I take care of her?"

Enma chuckled. "Well, I can leave in reassurance now. I'll see you in two weeks."

Tsuna nodded as she rest her head against the couch while she watched Enma leave the room. "Ne, Lambo, do you think I'm weird?"

Lambo gave her a confused look. "Why?"

"I push people away because I don't to hurt them and yet I pull them closer since I'm scared of losing them…"

Lambo nodded. "That is weird, but… That's what makes us humans, right? We're scared of hurting others as well as hurting ourselves."

Tsuna let out a laugh. "Lambo, you say the strangest things."

Lambo pouted. "Hmph." The Bovino crossed his arms and leaned into his seat with his eyes closed. Noticing that it was quiet, Lambo opened one eye and looked at Tsuna. He sighed when he saw that she was asleep. He then got up to get her a blanket to cover herself.

When Lambo was gone, Tsuna opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Chrome. I'm sorry. Please be strong. Please come back to me…" Tsuna curled up and started crying, startling Lambo who entered the room. He dropped and blanket and ran over to comfort her. Tsuna just kept on crying until she passed out from the effects of her medicine.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Okay, this is something I worked on the whole day instead of doing you notice Emma will be gone for awhile and the Varia, well, they have their agenda of things to do except for Lussaria. He likes hanging around Tsuna and is worried about the poor girl. He's like an insider for Xanxus, haha. It looks like Tsuna will be without her people for a couple of weeks except for the Varia and Lambo. But you know how the Varia are. As for Lambo, he's not exactly ready to handle such a big secret so there will be situations where he lets something slip. *hinthint* Also, there will a couple of OCs in the near future like Madeline and Guilio mentioned in this chapter, but that's preparation for something else that will be revealed later on. I'll be working getting other characters more involved. I pity Mukuro for having such a tiny role in this chapter.

I think this chapter would confuse people so I think I'm going to clarify some things. Elaine dislikes the male Vongola Guardians and Reborn except for Ryohei and Lambo. One, the men don't realize what they're putting Tsuna through. Two, Ryohei sees Tsuna as his little sister and looks after her while Lambo is working his way up as someone dependable. In the previous chapter, I mentioned that she had a double personality. One personality is her formal, teasing maid personality while her other one is serious and quite dangerous to tame, so far... As for Tsuna, whenever she gets stressed or worked up, she subconsciously turns into her "deranged" self but she keeps it in control when she's angry.

Anyway, thank you for reviewing. They made me so happy. So I will be on a little break so I can work out several more chapters and so on and for school. Taking five AP classes is not so pretty, haha. Please review and tell me what you think. Is there anything you want to see included, think a character doesn't have enough screen time, or something you want to be explained about? Just tell me. I don't mind answering. Once again, thank you for reading, please review, and please look forward to the next chapter.


	16. The Angered Cloud and the Fixed Mosquito

Once Enma dropped them off at the airport, the two women rushed to the plane since they arrived rather late due to traffic. Chrome had settled into a seat next to Elaine, who took a window seat and was currently idly looking out of it. Chrome, on the other hand, was reading a small book to entertain herself since she was did not want to be dwell on uncomfortable thoughts.

Placing a bookmark to mark her spot in the book, Chrome closed her book and looked to Elaine. "Ella-san, if you don't mind me asking, why are you coming with me Japan?"

Elaine looked away from the window and leaned back in her chair with her eyes staring at the ceiling. "She didn't tell you, huh…" She straightened herself and looked intently into the violet's eye. "Dukuro-sama, I'm only to saying this since we have not arrived at Japan yet. But once we set foot in Japan, I will not always be your side. I will not be addressing you like this and I will not act polite. You will be left alone to your thoughts and the people you choose to interact with. What you will learn during this stay will entirely depend on you."

The female Vongola Mist Guardian just looked at Elaine with a confused look. Why couldn't she be blunt with it instead of being so vague? Just what was going to happen in Japan? "Ella-san, you still have not answered my question."

Elaine just shrugged. "You'll know when we get there."

The violet slowly nodded as her eye fell back to the book on her lap. There was one thing that was currently bugging her despite all the other problems she had to deal with.

Who was Bossu to Elaine? The woman acted so differently to the brunette. Unlike Gokudera, Elaine was calm and collected when the brunette showed signs of disapproval. The woman seemed to be afraid of her mistress when she was angry. And what was that limitation Bossu was going to put on her if she did not stop taunting Reborn? Chrome wanted to ask but she was a bit scared. If she was right, then Elaine would have two personalities, two egos that she had no way of predicting their actions.

The older woman took a glance at Chrome and then shifted deeper into her seat. This was going to be harder than she originally thought. She had heard from Tsuna that Chrome was not mentally strong, a trait that was critical to a mist flame user. Tsuna was someone she was actually willing to take under her wing, no questions asked, but Chrome… She was someone Tsuna requested her to mentor. She did like the violet, but they still had not reached that point in their relationship where the younger would openly talk to her. Elaine knew that it might be too late if Chrome did not allow her past her walls. She sighed as she resumed looking out the window. It might work out in the end, somehow.

* * *

><p>"Herbivore, don't even bother wasting any of my time." Steel blue eyes glanced down at the brunette, who was rolling on the ground, groaning in pain. He had noticed that she was not properly paying attention to his actions, so he went ahead and aimed for her stomach. It was against his morals to hurt a female, but she asked for this and he complied. And this was only day three.<p>

Soft chocolate brown eyes were hidden behind eyelids as she hugged her midsection. Tsuna tried to get up using the support of her legs, but they soon gave out as they hit the ground again. Was she always this weak? She shook her head to rid her doubt. This was something she wanted to do. No one made her do this. Releasing her arms' grasp on her stomach, she placed both hands on the ground and pushed herself off the ground using one foot at a time. Her form wobbled to the side a little, but she soon regained her balance. Getting back into her fighting position, she looked at Hibari with determined eyes. "Please continue, senpai."

The Vongola Cloud Guardian glanced at the woman; a glint of amusement ran across in his eyes. Why was she so determined to fight? It would be something he would never understand, but at least, he was going to get a good fight out of this. "You might die, you know."

Tsuna smiled weakly at his seemingly mockingly tone. "At least, I would know that it was not because I was running away with my tail between my legs."

The skylark smirked at her. The herbivore was determined to get stronger, wasn't she? "Then, prepare yourself." The moment he got into his position as he watched the brunette move. Once their eyes met, they went at each other.

* * *

><p>"Oi, where's Bel?" The ex-infant Varia Mist Guardian looked up at Squalo from under his hood. The shark was muttering something about where his stupid boss was.<p>

"VOI! Try finding yourself, Mammon. Why would I want to find him for you? Anyways, how would I even know where that blood-thirsty brat went?" Squalo looked down at Mammon and smirked at the shorter male's angered face. "Why? You worried about him or something?"

The mystified being shot Squalo a glare for two reasons: one for yelling when he was right to him and two for being downright annoying. "Don't ever ask me that question. If any of the Varia members actually start caring for someone other than themselves other than that imbecile Levi and that flamboyant Lussaria, I think the world would end by now."

Squalo howled in laughter in reaction to Mammon's remark. "You really don't know anything, do you?" He calmed himself down and grinned evilly at Mammon, who seemed to be irked at the shark's sudden outburst. "Now, that I think about it. You were gone when we were having that meeting with Boss and the blonde brat when they got back from visiting the midget. Ha, you actually don't know what's going on."

The cloaked male suddenly stopped walking, shocked at the fact that he, of all people, lacked information. This was unheard of. He muttered a string of curses and forced himself to catch up to Squalo who was walking away. "What exactly did they tell you about that meeting?" He would look up at the shark to see some kind of reaction, but the sun had begun to reach its peak as its rays streamed into the building, making it harder to look up.

Squalo barked in laughter before shutting up. "Even if I told you, you would probably try to bribe Reborn or any of the main members of the Vongola with that information just to get profit. Like hell, I would tell you. Even someone like me has some morals to abide to."

Mammon growled. "You, morals? Don't make me laugh. That would make you human then. I'll just go ask the boy with the frog hat."

Squalo laughed harder as he walked away. "Don't even think about it. Don't even try him. He would tell you squat."

Mammon's eyes narrowed as they focused on the shark's back. "And why wouldn't he? I was the one who trained him along with that moronic master of his. I think I deserve some just repayment from him. I'll gladly take information in exchange for money."

Squalo waved his hand back and forth. "You'll be wasting your time." Before the hooded male could argue, Squalo just kept on walking and looking straight. "The brat met the girl before he met any of us. I think he would listen to her more than any of us. After all, if it wasn't for her, then he wouldn't even be here."

Mammon decided to not say anymore and resorted to watch the Varia Rain Guardian walk away. So the frog actually had a past connected to the Decimo. Then it would make sense how come that Mukuro actually took a stranger under his wing. He sighed to himself. Even if he tried to bribe the brat, it was likely that he would get nothing out of it but a couple of pestering insults. The kid was stubborn when he wanted to be.

The Varia Mist Guardian slowly made his way toward the library, believing that he could get something out of that ridiculous excuse of a Vongola Guardian, considering how uncontrollable he was when it involved his beloved Jyuudaime or whatever he called her. The silver-haired male had become more competent, but his fuse was still short as always. Mammon sneered when he saw the mentioned female walking out of the library with a large stack of books in hand, swaying side to side due to the outrageous amount. He snickered when he saw her about to fall over, but to his surprise, someone caught her by the wrist before she fell onto the ground. It was Levi.

* * *

><p>Tsuna closed her eyes, waiting for the impact but someone roughly caught her. "W-Who…?" She slowly opened her eyes and turned around when she felt her wrist being released. "L-Levi?"<p>

The gruff Varia Guardian grunted and proceeded to pick up the books that had fallen onto the ground. "Boss told me about you… And he told me to watch out for you since he doesn't want a certain piece of trash to drop dead all of a sudden."

The brunette nervously laughed at Xanxus's choice of words as she accepted the stack of books placed into hers arms. She then realized that Levi was holding onto the thicker-sized books. "Levi… I think I can carry those back to my office on my own."

Levi shifted away from her outstretched arm and started to make his way down the hall. He then turned around and noticed that the brunette still had not moved maybe because of the shock that someone like him was willing to help her. "Don't you have to get these to Belphegor? I'm sure that he doesn't like to wait considering how he's a royal pain in the butt."

Tsuna stifled a laugh and began walking. "Well, then. Thank you for helping me back there, Levi. I greatly appreciate it." She gave him a sincere smile and started walking ahead of him.

Levi muttered something with a faint blush dusting his cheeks, making Tsuna laugh. "Y-You know that it's alright to depend on me too… Xanxus-sama is not my only boss…"

Tsuna's eyes widened but they soon softened with a small smile on her face. "I-I don't know what to say, but… I'll be sure to rely on you more often, Levi. Thank you."

Levi did not need to see her face to see her expression. He heard her appreciation for his words through her voice. There was a small tug on his lips, but it fell when he realized that he was being complimented by the same girl who beat his boss ten years ago. However, deep inside, he was happy that he got someone to acknowledge him besides his boss.

For once, Mammon was speechless. He never though the day would come when he would see that oaf Levi actually consider someone besides Xanxus as his boss or rather someone he respected. Just what kind of bewitching powers did that woman have? Personally, he feared to even get close to the brunette. Seeing how she was able to gain Xanxus's respect as well as being able to argue with Reborn head-on despite the relentless beating, the brunette had definitely grown and she was still growing. The spineless child was now a woman with a backbone.

Someone approached from behind Mammon, who was hiding behind the corner of the wall. He bent down and placed his head on top of the illusionist, curious of how the shorter man was going to react. "Yo, Mammon. You curious about Decimo or something?"

Mammon abruptly stood up straight, making the blonde skip back a step. He turned around and glared under his hood. "I was looking for you."

"Uishishishi. I wonder if I should be surprised or not. Then again, the prince must apologize. I'm currently booked since I've decided to grace the lovely Decimo with my presence." Bel snickered as Mammon looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What? She's an interesting woman. Not my type, but she's a good equal to have."

The illusionist just stared at the blonde prince and shook his head back and forth. Just what was this blonde talking about? He was going to question the prince for his true intentions but the sight of Xanxus coming out of the library left him speechless. "D-Did Boss just come out of that room? That room that is called a library?"

"Uishishishi. How long have you been gone? He's been doing that ever since a year ago. Then again, you're never around when we visit, so too bad." Bel just grinned as he skipped away from the fuming male. "See you later, Mammon."

The hooded male let out a low growl as he readied himself to attack the insolent blonde until a voice called out.

"Bel, stop bothering Mammon. I'm sure he doesn't like to be pestered by you."

The grin on Bel's face just widened as he leisurely walked to where the brunette was standing, swiping the stack of books from her arms. "Hm… I guess the prince will lend his service to you, Decimo. We can't have Levi take all the glory away from me, right?" The blonde chuckled loudly while Levi glared at his back as he followed the blonde to the Vongola Decimo's office.

"Oi, Decimo, why did you intervene? I don't need you interfering with my affairs." Mammon eyed the brunette from under his hood while the mentioned female was rubbing her temples.

Tsuna weakly looked up and smiled. "Please don't misunderstand, Mammon. I'm truly not a nice person like everyone thinks and I just so happened to have a growing headache, so the less noise there is, the less the irritation. Helping you was something by chance."

He just watched the brunette walk away after excusing herself. The brunette was definitely acting different. Her defenses were like the ozone layer, consisting of holes here and there. Her complexion was rather pale, almost like a sickly cream color. On a closer look, she seemed to be a bit thinner. "Decimo, are you sic–"

All of a sudden, a dark shadow walked past Mammon and suddenly grabbed the Vongola successor, heaving her on over his shoulder. "Trash."

Mammon noticed that the brunette's eyes were wide but somehow glazed. He only made out a "sorry" from her lips. The illusionist ran after his boss and looked up at the man. "Boss, where are you taking her?"

Xanxus looked down at his Mist Guardian and muttered a string of curses. "What do you want?"

The shorter male almost sneered at Xanxus's question but quickly ignored it. "I, for one, cannot comprehend why you're helping the Decimo when she seems perfectly fine with her own set of Guardians."

Xanxus let out a laugh before glaring at Mammon. "You don't know the first thing that's going on, trash. Also, don't question my actions or I'll shoot that annoying mou–"

"X-Xanxus, I don't mean to interrupt, but I-I see one of them…" The brunette started to see swirls as she saw one of her Guardians walking down the hall, especially since said person was wearing red. "P-Put me down. I t-think I can handle thi–!" Tsuna suddenly pushed herself off of Xanxus and fell on her bottom as she scrambled off of her feet and ran down the hall at a ridiculous speed.

"Tch." Xanxus looked down at Mammon, clicking his tongue while he was at it. "Deal with that piece of trash. I'll tell you what's going on if I get permission. You better shut that trap of your though." With one quick deadly glare, Xanxus actually started running after the brunette.

"What the heck…?" Mammon turned around and found the Vongola Storm Guardian looking at him. "What are you looking at?"

The silver-haired male remained silent for a few seconds before blinking. "What? I can't walk around here or something?" Gokudera ran his fingers through his hair, pondering if he should ask the illusionist.

The hooded male scoffed at the taller male and started to walk away, not wanting to waste his precious time with this person.

"Oi, M-Mammon, do you know where the Jyuudaime is?" Gokudera looked at Mammon, his eyes flickering through emotions of hesitation and eagerness.

Mammon just shrugged. Personally, he had no idea how to "deal with that piece of trash" so it did not matter to him that he was putting in little effort to push the Storm Guardian away. Then again, his boss was going to tell him what was going on… "Tch. I'm surprised I actually need information more than money…"

Gokudera looked at Mammon with a puzzled look. "Was I supposed to catch that or what?"

The illusionist could only sigh. What has the Vongola come to? Shaking his head back and forth, Mammon turned around. "Why would I know where she is? If I had the information, I would have made you pay in exchange for it. Plus, I heard that she's been locking herself in that office of hers preparing something."

"Oh, yeah…" Gokudera awkwardly looked away and muttered a string of curses for being so dumb. His Jyuudaime would be there. There was no way she was ignoring her duties when she herself came up with such a plan. "Uh, t-thanks. I'll see you around." Gokudera walked away from Mammon, trying to ignore the sheer awkwardness between him and the senior Varia Mist Guardian.

Dark violet eyes watched as the Storm Guardian walked away, his interest in the Vongola Decimo's affairs had risen. From the looks of it, it seemed like it was the Vongola who did not know what was going on. In fact, it seemed like the Decimo had chosen the Varia over them. The illusionist's lips curved upward into a devious smile. This was really interesting. There was no way he was going to miss out on this spectacular. Something was up and he was going to find out just what.

* * *

><p>"Is something the matter, Hibari-san?" Tsuna had been watching her Cloud Guardian for a while now and she started to notice that he was silently glaring at her for reasons unknown. She honestly did not know why he was such in a foul mood so early in the morning. It was so unlike him. Then again, this was Hibari-san she was talking about, the guy who did not like their sleep to be interrupted.<p>

Hibari tried to ignore the concern laced in her words as well as the growing bruise on his arm. That herbivore was actually giving him a hard time lately since he was getting hit often. It irritated him that it seemed like she did not know she was landing hits. But she did have that hyper intuition of hers, so it irritated him even further. It was quite exciting to imagine how far she would go if she was to be free from restraints on the battlefield. Shaking his thoughts away, he dashed forward and aimed a kick for her head.

The brunette almost let out a squeal when she noticed his foot was reaching for her head, but she immediately moved out of the way by dropping to the ground and tried to kick the foot he was standing on as support. However, that foot was soon taken off the ground and was now whirling itself towards her. She instantly knew that she was stuck as the kick hit her right side, making her gasp for air as she rolled off to the side from the impact.

Seeing that she was down, the raven moved hastily and aimed for her mid-section this time but he was momentarily surprised to see the brunette roll away backwards and back on her feet. Steel blue eyes slightly widened when he saw the brunette used the momentum of her action to jump forward at him, tackling him to the ground.

Soft chocolate eyes widened when she noticed that she used too much momentum that she tried to slow down, but the only made her trip on her own feet, making her collide into the Cloud Guardian and both ended up on the floor.

Cold eyes widened in surprise as a flash of concern flickered in them, but the Cloud Guardian's mind had barely registered what was happening. He soon found himself on the floor with the brunette on top of him. "Oi, herbivore."

Tsuna slowly opened her eyes to see Hibari laying beneath her. She slowly pushed herself onto all fours. Seconds flew by and Tsuna did not show any sign of moving. It was as if she was mesmerized by something.

Hibari glared at the brunette, a bit disturbed why she was looking so intently at him. He was going to push her off but that would be rude. He opened his mouth to tell her get off, but he stopped midway when her hand reached for his head. He was surprised to feel her fingers running through his locks of hair.

Her lips slowly curved upward as she combed through Hibari's hair. Just seeing him on the floor like this with his hair all over the place… She could not resist a touch. At times like this, it was just the two of them. His eyes were just a beautiful color and she could feel his warmth escaping his body. She wanted to wrap her arms around him. She wanted to be held by him. She wanted him to… "Kyouya… I–"

Hibari's eyes widened when he heard his name cross her lips. He actually wanted to hear more, but he could not stand lying beneath anyone, even if it was Sawada Tsunayoshi. His pride won him over and he tried to move the brunette away. He placed a hand on her waist and to his shock, she let out a painful hiss.

Her eyes widened when Hibari touched her bruised side when he tried to remove her off of him. She pushed his hand away and rolled away from Hibari, trying to move away from his touch. She flinched when Hibari held her in place by pinning her wrists above her head. "H-Hibari-san, please let go!"

Hibari shot the brunette a glare. "Don't tell me what to do, herbivore." He waited until she stopped squirming and placed a hand on the woman's waist once again. His eyes narrowed when he realized that she had lost a considerable amount of weight. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, why are you so thin?"

Out of nowhere, Tsuna raised her legs and used them to push Hibari away. She was glad that the shock made him release his grip on her wrists, allowing her to roll away from the cloud flame user. "I'm fine, Hibari-san. If you're that concerned, I'll go to Shamal to check up on me. He's supposed to be visiting me sometime today." Tsuna hurriedly got up and forced herself to walk to the exit despite wobbling to the side, leaving behind a confused and angry Hibari Kyouya.

* * *

><p>Tsuna winced as Shamal treated her wounds. "I didn't think it would hurt this much. I knew that I was already weak but I did not think I had gotten so weak." She almost slapped Shamal's hand away when he pressed a bandage around her abdomen. "That hurts!"<p>

Shamal took a step back and analyzed his work on Tsuna, running his fingers through his hair. "Tsuna, as your doctor, I would advise to stop doing such reckless actions, but…" He took one look at the brunette and sighed. "But as one of your confidants, I know that you would not back down. At the very least, let someone like Lussaria heal your wounds."

Tsuna shook her head. "If I did that, Hibari-san would be suspicious to see me uninjured despite landing hits on me. If I lose his faith in my words, then I am afraid to imagine what would become of my relationship with him."

Shamal hesitantly agreed. That was true. For reasons unknown, the Cloud Guardian remained by the Vongola despite the fact he benefitted very little. There were times, however, when the Cloud Guardian would have a lenient air when the brunette was around him. "Tsuna, let me ask you something though."

Tsuna looked at Shamal once he was done patching her up. "What is it?"

"Are you seriously going to follow through with that plan? You know that once that mission with Hibari is over, there are only two choices standing in your way: to follow through or to stop. Once you make a choice, you can never go back." Shamal picked up his scissors and turned around to clean them.

Tsuna hummed to herself as she pondered on the question. "I would be lying if I said I was fully resolved about doing this, but I believe that what I'm doing is the right thing. I know that family has to fall no matter what and the other families need to know that Vongola does not permit such actions, well, the Tenth Generation will not tolerate it."

Shamal sighed. He rummaged through his suitcase and took out an injection needle. He looked over to Tsuna, who unconsciously shifted away from him. "Don't worry. This is only a painkiller. Instead of taking pills that may make your condition worse, this is a more direct way to deal with the pain." He looked at the brunette, looking for approval or not. "If you don't want it, then I'll stop."

Tsuna shook her head. "No, go ahead." She closed her eyes as Shamal walked over and slowly injected the substance into her bloodstream. She bit her lip as the cold surface of the needle broke through her skin. In a sense, she could feel the injection slithering from her arm to the rest of her body like a serpent.

Shamal looked at her with an accomplished smile and patted her head. "Good job, Tsuna."

Tsuna smiled weakly as she shifted herself more comfortably on her bed. She looked up at the ceiling. They could have done this in the infirmary, but Hibari would walk in and start demanding answers, something she did not want to deal with.

After he was done, Shamal took a seat on the bed beside Tsuna, taking a black notebook out of his coat's pocket. Removing a pen from his chest pocket, Shamal started jotting notes. After a few minutes of scribbling, Shamal closed the book and sighed. "Tsuna, this plan… Is this what you believe is right or is this what the Vongola believes is the right thing to do?"

The brunette closed her eyes as she covered her face with her arms. "This is what I believe in. Even if it may be the ultimate evil in another person's eyes, I still believe that what I'm doing is right."

Shamal chuckled as he got off the bed. "That's good then. At least you're doing something that you won't regret as much later."

Tsuna moved her arms down to her sides. "Yes, if it is something I decided, then I won't regret my decisions. It was me that made them after all…" Oddly, her eyelids became heavy as he vision became blurry. She did not remember being this tired before. "S-Shamal…? What did you….?"

Shamal walked to the opposite side of the bed and propped the brunette's pillows into a more comfortable position. He threw the sheets over her and placed a hand over her eyes. "There was another substance in the injection. But that was something that would help you rest awhile while it deals with the dangerous substances in your body. I heard from Turvenion that you were showing signs again."

The tensed expression on the brunette's face relaxed once she heard Elaine's name. "O-Oh, okay… That would make sense then… I'll see you late…"

"Yeah." Shamal removed his hand when he confirmed that she was asleep. A sigh escaped his lips as he walked over to his suitcase and continued cleaning.

When he signed up to become the Decimo's official personal doctor, he did not think the girl would be involved in such life-threatening ordeals. He knew that being a mafia boss was putting one's life on the line, but he had secretly hoped that the brunette would not have to go through painful situations. However, she was the Vongola head, so there was nothing he could do about that but help her when she was at her weakest.

He looked over his shoulder at the brunette, making a decision. He took a deep breath and reached down to his pocket, taking out his cell phone. His eyes scanned the room, wary for any bugs that may be implanted in the room.

He remembered Tsuna telling her that she had her room debugged personally by Reborn, since she wanted to treasure her privacy in her room in the very least, allowing Reborn to interfere with her private life as long as it was reasonable in exchange. Now that he thought of it, he wondered how Tsuna dealt with Reborn doing that. Shamal shook his head to rid the thought. He should not be thinking about that. He had an important phone call to make.

* * *

><p>"Did you hear, William? Decimo's female Mist Guardian is actually coming to Japan with Nue. Nue, of all people! You know, I'm surprised that Decimo allowed her Guardian to leave her side. Then again, that's how she is." The mumbling child looked up at the person sitting at a desk, who was currently typing on a keyboard. "Ne, Will, are you listening to me?" He pouted and started to tap his foot impatiently.<p>

William ran a hand through his ruffled copper colored locks after he turned his seat to face his master. He leaned on one of the arms of the chair and glanced down at the child. "I would like it if you went and hanged out with other children." He held up a hand when he saw his master getting ready to refute. "But, we all know that you're likely to manipulate them." He looked down at the child with unamused emerald green eyes. "I know what you're thinking and don't even try. You should know that we are not allowed to meet the Mist Guardian unless permitted by Nue or Decimo."

The child stuck his tongue at his attendant as he crossed her arms. "Hmph!"

William chuckled as he got off of his seat and knelt down by his master. He patted the child's head. "Niel-sama, I advise you to sharpen your skills rather than focus your attention elsewhere. It will be a long time until you can be of service to your precious Decimo."

The child eyed William for moment, noting that the older male used his middle name. "Fine…" He looked down at the ground and just plot himself on the ground with his legs crossed and eyes closed, concentrating on something.

"Niel-sama?"

Niel opened his eyes, revealing a rare set of jade green eyes. "William, I found out what I need to work on. I apologize for bothering you with my whims. It looks like I'm not as strong as I should be. Please resume what you were doing before. We will be leaving at the usual time to visit her, of course."

William nodded and bowed when his young master left the room. He released a suppressed shudder when the door closed behind Niel.

Niel was someone who was not exactly mentally stable. In many instances, the child would have a temperament of a child and the next, he would act like a true head of a family.

William sighed as he got back into his chair. His master was a candidate to be head of a family, so that naturally explained while his mindset was like that despite being so young. He shook his head and went back to what he was doing before he was interrupted. "Ah, yes. I have to e-mail Niel-sama's parents. I wonder how Madeline-sama and Guilio-sama are doing."

* * *

><p>Flipping the phone open, Shamal scanned his list of contact for an unfamiliar phone number. Once he pushed the button to call, he resolved himself to stay official and what he was doing for the best for the brunette. He literally planted himself on the ground in the corner of Tsuna's room, a bit scared that she may overhear his conversation while she was asleep.<p>

Before he could chicken out, the call connected after four rings. "Hello? You have reached the Sawada residence. This is Bianchi speaking."

Shamal almost dropped his phone when he heard the Poison Scorpion's voice. He blinked a couple time. Bianchi was in Japan? When did she get there? He thought she was traveling with that Fuuta kid.

"Hello? Is there anyone there? If this is a prank call, I'm hanging up."

"W-Wait! B-Bianchi?"

The sound of 'tch' could be heard. "If you're calling to flirt with Mama, I say you sunk pretty low, Trident Mosquito. Don't even dare, Shamal. I'm hanging up."

Shamal nervously chuckled at Bianchi's behavior towards him. "W-wait a minute, I-I'm not here to flirt. I'm actually calling on professional business."

"Really now? And what for?" As always, she was skeptical of his actions, not that he could blame her.

"It has to do with Tsuna… I think it would be best if I personally talk to Nana-san about her daughter." He had shook off his nervousness and started talking in a more professional tone.

"I see… Is it something…?" Before she could continue, Shamal had started speaking.

"I know that you may be worried about the Decimo, but as her doctor, I'm not allowed to release such private information to someone my patient has not given me permission to. However, in this case, I do believe that I should tell her mother since she does have the right in know. On the other hand, once she knows, I have no control over who she confides in. It is up to her to release this information, but in the case that she tells you, I do hope that you will not tell anyone about this, no one."

"I see… Let me go get her then…" Bianchi placed the phone down and went upstairs to get Nana.

If Shamal sounded like that without a trace of flirting in his tone, then something was definitely up. It was highly possible that Nana would tell her what Shamal told her too. It was a secret to keep under wraps. She stopped moving and realized something. If Shamal was actually calling on business to speak directly to Nana, then that meant that most of the Vongola did not know what was happening to Tsuna. Her eyes narrowed. Just what was happening to the brunette…?

She started moving again and approached a door. Bianchi knocked on it softly before peeking her head through the gap in the door. "Mama, there's someone on the phone who wants to talk to you."

The Sawada mother smiled at Bianchi and nodded. "Please tell them to wait for a moment."

The Italian woman smiled and closed the door behind her. As she walked down the stairs, she reflected on what Shamal said. "If it's like that, then I should probably debug the house and fast…" The Poison Scorpion sighed. It looked like she was going to make this quick.

Nana picked up the phone in her room. "Hello? This is Sawada Nana speaking. How may I help you?"

"Nana-san, this is Shamal, Tsunayoshi's doctor. I need to talk to you about her current condition." He waited for the mother to respond.

Nana's eyes widened. Then her feeling was real after all. For some time now, Tsuna's letters have become more distant and sad, but she did not want to bother her daughter about it. "Oh, I see… Let me sit down first before you start. I'm sure it must be serious."

"Yes, please do so. I think that would be best." He heard shuffling going around in the background and wondered how the woman got by when most of her original family was never home.

Her husband had retired and gave his position to Basil, but he was currently negotiating as a Vongola ambassador to a family in Spain. Her daughter was stuck in Itatly and her job barely allowed her any vacations. Lambo was in Italy and I-Pin was studying under Fon in China. Apparently, she changed her mind and continued to be a member of Vongola, ready to be called upon at any time. Bianchi and Fuuta were traveling and were probably resting at her house now. There were rumors that she was housing some other kids but he did not bother with them.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Nana's voice through the line again. Shamal started explaining what was happening to Tsunayoshi and what she was to expect. "Nana-san, please be calm when I tell you this, but I'm afraid that Tsunayoshi…"

* * *

><p>Tsuna looked around her surroundings and instantly knew that she was dreaming. She was surprised to see that she was lying on Vongola Primo's chest as he casually ran his fingers through her locks. "Primo?" They were sitting against a tree trunk as a soft breeze caressed the grass beneath them.<p>

Giotto looked down at the brunette and sincerely smiled. "I see that you're awake, well, somewhat." He let out a chuckle when the brunette tried to remove herself from him, but he pulled her back into his chest. "No. Let's stay like this. It's been awhile since I've been able to be so close to you like this."

"Oh, okay…" Tsuna settled against the Vongola founder. She was not surprised to not feel the beating of living heart since Primo had already passed away. His time, his presence, was sealed within the Vongola Ring of the Sky. "What is that you want from me, Primo?"

Giotto looked down at the girl; a worried look was worn on his handsome face. "Tsunayoshi, I will be direct. I worry for you well-being. I feel like you have taken on so much, but this is what you have decided, so I all I can say is reflect on your decisions and actions."

The brunette subconsciously took Giotto's hand and placed her hand into his. His hand will always be larger than hers, just like his legacy versus hers. Tsuna allowed a melancholic laugh escape her lips. "Primo, I'm sure you know that I'm always being compared to you."

Giotto sighed as he placed his head onto of hers. "That's not what I'm talking about. We're not talking about me but you."

Tsuna smiled to herself as she leaned back into Giotto's chest. "That's exactly it. They're always saying 'the First generation of Vongola has been reincarnated into the Tenth Generation' as if your family and you were reincarnated into my family." A frown appeared on her face. "But we did inherit your wills… So in the end, we will still be compared to one another when we're only uniquely similar yet different." She grasped Giotto's hand and pulled it to her face as she laid her cheek against it. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

Giotto let out a second sigh. "That is up to you to decide, Tsunayoshi. I have no control over your action since you are your own person. I can only advise you." Giotto pulled the brunette closer into his embrace. "Tsunayoshi, know that your family will always be by your side. I know that you're going through a difficult time, but please don't lose sight of yourself. That is the only thing I fear."

"Primo…" Tsuna closed her eyes when she felt his hand move itself away from her grasp and leaned deeper into Giotto's chest as his arms wrapped around her figure. "I'm sorry…"

A warm smile appeared on Giotto's face. "Foolish child. Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong."

"But… I feel like failed your expectations. I know that I promised o destroy the Vongola if it ever became something I disliked, but now… I feel I can no longer do that. I have grown attached to it, so much that I'm…"

Giotto let go the brunette and lifted her chin, so that she was looking up at him. "Decimo, please. I understand. It has been ten years since your trial, so it's understandable that your feelings have changed. The previous bosses and I still see you as Vongola's rightful successor. Whatever you choose to do, we will accept your will."

Tears slowly gathered in her eyes, slowly trailing down the sides of her face. "I'm afraid… I'm afraid what will become of them in the future…"

"Don't fret, Tsunayoshi. As long as you have trust in them, I'm sure that they will eventually understand your intentions." He wiped away her tears with his thumb and smiled as he let go of her chin, allowing her to rest upon on his chest once again. "Feeling better?" He felt a nod against his chest and resumed to stay in his position.

"Primo, we won't be meeting each other as often, aren't we…?"

A bittersweet expression appeared on Giotto's face. "Yes. That's why I will cherish my time with you every chance I get." He pulled her closer, afraid that he will no longer be able to hold her. "I will miss you dearly, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna let out a laugh. "I will miss you. However, there will be a day when we will meet again."

Giotto's eyes hardened before they softened. "I know… I… I know…" His grasp around the brunette tightened but not too tight as they remained silent in each other's presence. Feeling the brunette's rhythmic breathing against his chest, Giotto knew that she had fell asleep, even in her own dream… That only meant her strength was no longer at its greatest; soon, she will no longer be able to sustain his materialized form. His eyes narrowed before closing. "Please do not regret your actions even if they are feelings for another."

* * *

><p>The Shimon head watched as tears slipped from Tsuna's eyes in her sleep. "Tsuna… What are you dreaming of…?" He took a chair and scooted it to her side. He sat down and took her hand into his, pressing his forehead against the back of it. "Tsuna…"<p>

"Kozato Enma, I presume. You will take care of my heir, right?"

Enma almost jumped at the sound of a deep voice calling out to him, but he managed to contain himself by flinching at the cold tone. His crimson eyes widened at the sight of the Vongola Primo standing across from him. The redhead was going to ask how come he was here, but instead he nodded with silent resolute eyes. "Yes, I will."

Giotto nodded as a small smile crept on his face. "That's reassuring then. I was not going to come out, but I noticed that you were here, so I thought I would have a word with you. Since you are Cozart's successor, I know that I can place my trust in you. I will be placing her in your care, Shimon."

Enma nodded as he glanced at Tsuna's sleeping form. "I give you my word. I will do what I can to protect her. I may not be able to protect from everything, but I will serve as a support whenever she needs it. I will not take advantage of her weaknesses. I will not betray her. I swear this as the Shimon Decimo and as Kozato Enma."

Giotto nodded, satisfied with his friend's heir's answer. "I have to take my leave now. Tsunayoshi can no longer sustain my form for so long." The blonde looked down at the brunette and leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Please be safe, Tsunayoshi. I will still be looking over you." Then, the Vongola Primo vanished as the ring on Tsuna's finger glowed with a orange radiance.

Enma looked down at his own ring as he fingers curled into a fist. He closed his eyes as he pressed his head on the bed. "I will remain by her side, Vongola Primo. I promise."

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Has to be the longest chapter I have ever written. Well, I've been missing for awhile now, so I can guess you can expect this amount. I just got done looking over it, but there's still bound to be mistakes. So I put in two new characters and there's still bound to be more though... Okay, I know I'm bound to get questions about Giotto's and Tsuna's relationship. They have a platonic relationship. They are not lovers. Tsuna knows that she can confide in Giotto in whatever and Giotto sincerely cares for his heir. Their relationship is like siblings, but maybe on a more closer level. Giotto wrapping his arms around Tsuna serves as a symbol that he wants to shield her from her pain, but in the end, he's dead so he has to rely on others.

I would to thank those who not only read but reviewed as well. I greatly appreciate it. School has really been hectic lately, but I really want to put this out. I might be able to release one or two in November, but no promises since I'm applying for college. I don't know when I will be able to get around to start the next chapter, but there are definitely ideas. The Guardians are definitely going to show up soon. I just need to work out on how I can place them in the setting. Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope to hear from you all. Look forward to the next chapter.


	17. The Storm Calms Down

The female Mist Guardian's eye narrowed when she caught sight of her target's body hiding behind a tall metal container like the ones that can be seen on the docks of sea ports. Chrome had her hand readied on the top of her gun's hidden form strapped under her skirt. In her other hand, she called forth her trident as the cold surface materialized in her grasp. Taking a deep breath, the violet moved her hiding spot and started her chase after the white vixen. Just when she thought she had her prey cornered, her eye widened when she realized that she had just been fooled by an illusion as a small frown formed on her face.

"Ooh… So close, Chrome. Just had to be fooled by that illusion, huh." Elaine leaned against the wall as she watched her student run about in the area. With a snap of her fingers, another illusion of herself appeared and started to run when Chrome started chasing after it. Running her fingers through her locks, Elaine sighed. Just how long have they been doing this? Two? Three days? Today happened to be the first time they went out for training, but Elaine was worried that Chrome might actually be weaker than she thought. "I guess I overestimated you…" However, deep down, Elaine hoped that Chrome would surpass her current expectations of her. Just maybe this girl could go through it. Just maybe.

Chrome's grip on her trident tightened as she made her way around the maze-like warehouse, weaving in between the containers while thinking of a method to land a hit on her instructor. She inwardly cursed her luck when the sound of her shoes pounding against the ground echoed behind her, allowing Elaine to locate her more easily.

Elaine let out a soft laugh as she noticed the frustration growing on Chrome's face, especially the sight of the narrowed eye. It gave the girl some color on her face, making her look more alive than that sickly paste-like color. "Be frustrated, my illusionist. Be frustrated with yourself and surpass what you are now. Prove that you're someone who cannot be tossed away." Elaine brought her watch to her eyes and smirked. "Looks like it's time to test her abilities."

The violet suddenly pulled into a halt, feeling a sinister air surrounding the building. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she retreated back behind a container. Kneeling down, she dematerialized her trident and removed her gun from its hiding spot. Making sure the bullets were not deadly ones, she pieced the thing back together, knitting her brows in concentration. "I should've known they were illusions…" Pulling her locks into a loose ponytail, Chrome took off her jacket and tossed it aside, allowing more movement for her arms as well as kicking her sneakers off. On the count of three, she started maneuvering around the warehouse in a feline-like fashion. Her steps were lighter and faster while the rustle of her clothing brushing against each other was the only thing heard. A tiny smirk slowly made its way on her face. This was going to be fun.

The amazement on Elaine's face only grew more when she could no longer hear Chrome running about in the warehouse. This Guardian was no joke. The white vixen figured her student must have gotten serious and thought of something. She could not wait to see it. "Amuse me."

Chrome pulled her body behind another metal container when she finally caught sight of her instructor. She could feel the excitement bubbling just below her throat, ready to burst into action and attack relentlessly. This training was like a natural high for her: the adrenaline pumping through her veins, the excitement ready to burst, and the eagerness to taken down a powerful foe. Despite her abnormal state, Chrome restrained herself and took a deep breath, focusing her entire attention on Elaine. She was not the Vongola Storm Guardian, but the Vongola Mist Guardian, the one who bewilders the enemy and conceals the true form of the family.

Elaine positioned her feet more firmly on the ground, sensing something dangerous was after her. The sound of a gun barrel going off forced her to move from her spot, avoiding the incoming bullet. To her surprise, Chrome came out her with a kick, making her bring up her arm to block it. Digging her heel into the ground, Elaine attempted to grab the girl's leg but immediately stopped when she realized that she was fighting with an illusion. Before Elaine could comment on Chrome's skills, the white vixen jumped away from her spot, just in time to avoid the three gun shots that could have been horribly painful.

Chrome's eye narrowed as she dropped the gun on the ground and materialized her trident, aiming it at Elaine's neck. She smirked when she saw her instructor's eyes widened but inwardly frowned when the older woman dropped to her knees. A grunt left her lips as she felt a large amount of force throw her back, a sure sign that she had been tackled. The illusionist's hand instantly moved into her back pocket and took out another weapon for her use.

Elaine did not have enough time to react when the both of them collided into the wall. She immediately opened her eyes and secured her legs around the smaller woman's body, trapping the woman beneath her. Her hand was already positioned with a dagger hovering dangerously near the illusionist's neck. She smirked when she saw the dart in Chrome's hand, position so near her stomach but still too far. "Good first attempt."

Chrome allowed her tensed muscles to relax when Elaine got off of her as a tired smile rested on her face. She carefully placed her weapon back into her back pocket and sluggishly pushed herself off the ground. "Thank you, Ella-san." She rested her hand above her heart, trying to force her heart to calm down. "W-Wow… I h-haven't done that in a long time…"

Elaine smiled and helped support Chrome off the ground. "What made you pull off such a move?"

Chrome stopped in her tracks and gave Elaine a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that? I thought Bossu told you of my abilities."

Elaine's eyes narrowed as she looked off to the side. So Tsuna really was telling the truth when she said that Chrome really was an untouched gem. She shook her head to rid of her thoughts.

Chrome hesitantly smiled when she noticed the awkward expression on Elaine's face. "Ah, you shouldn't feel too bad about that. It's alright. I guess Bossu doesn't think highly of me like everyone else. She even told me that I resembled a mute swan."

Elaine's eyes widened but she kept her lips sealed. Normally, one would consider a swan as beautiful but docile, but a mute swan… That was a different story. Tsuna really got Chrome figured out then if that was the animal the girl resembled. "Uh… I think she was complimenting you."

Chrome awkwardly smiled as she looked down at the ground. "I hope so. Me being a swan… It makes wonder if I'm only seen as a decoration…"

The white vixen stopped herself from shaking the female illusionist to her senses as she watched Chrome walk away from her. A tired smile tugged at her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Tsunayoshi-sama… You were right. Chrome is strong... but it's her spirit that's weak."

* * *

><p>Gokudera paced back and forth in front of the Vongola Decimo's bedroom, contemplating whether he should interrupt on the brunette's sleeping time. He took a deep breath and hesitantly raised his knuckles to the door, giving three quick sharp knocks. His body suddenly tensed at what he did when he looked down at his watch to check what time it was. It was only five in the morning, two hours before when his boss was to be awake!<p>

In shock, Gokudera stared at the door with his mouth wide open unable to yell or rant since it might wake up the brunette. He resorted to hitting himself on the head, calling himself an idiot for lacking common sense. He then started to scold himself, whispering rather loudly. "Ah… I'm so stupid. What did I just do? She could still be sleeping! Ugh!" He ran his fingers feverishly through his locks, letting out his frustration.

The wooden door was silently being opened, revealing a beautiful slender form wrapped up in a single white bed sheet. Using a hand to cover her mouth when she yawned, Tsuna eyed her Storm Guardian with amused eyes. She tugged the bed sheet closed to her body and leaned against the door frame, wondering if her Storm Guardian noticed her presence. Tsuna inwardly giggled as she watched Gokudera's actions. It had been awhile since she had last seen him act this way. It was refreshing to her current state.

"Gokudera, if you keep on doing that, all your hair is eventually going to fall out sooner than you would want. I'm sure that you don't want to be bald before Shamal of all people." The brunette softly laughed when Gokudera immediately dropped his act and straightened himself out. He coughed to the side with an embarrassed expression on his face, acting as if he was doing nothing out of the norm. "So what brings you to visit my room today?"

Gokudera hesitated for a moment, trying to not let his eyes wander to his boss's form. He knew that she was wearing someone short since he could see her lovely legs but he did not dare to look up any further. If he did, then he may not stop what thought that might be created.

Deeming the door frame behind his boss worthy of his stare, he finally got the courage to speak. The clouded look in his eyes dispersed as he looked down into her eyes, solely her eyes. "Jyuudaime, please do not take this the wrong way when I tell you, but…"

The brunette nodded and motioned the Storm Guardian to continue what he wanted to tell her. In the back of her mind, she had a faint idea of what he wanted to say but she did not want to stop him. He came all this way after all.

"With the present plans to go against the Estraneo… I understand that you reply on the Varia more than us, the Guardians… But I realized that from a reasonable standpoint, that seems to be the more correct method to approach this plan since they are more experienced that area than us…" His eyes linger on her face for a moment and then he let out a frustrated groan and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her, pulling her in close. "Please… Please know that any of us are here for you. I apologize if we caused any misunderstandings. You've been distant, so I don't want there to be a crack between us…" He placed his head on top of hers, closing his eyes, engulfing her warmth into his chest.

The Vongola Decimo suddenly tensed in her Storm Guardian's arms, shocked of what he just said. This was quite uncharacteristic of Gokudera even though he had matured. Maybe it was because of the present situation that he was feeling this way and she understood that. For the past couple of days, she had tried to distance herself from the others, but in the end, she guessed that she cannot get too far from them. She then realized that Enma said something similar to her back then…

Her shocked expression softened while she hesitantly wrapped her arms around Gokudera's mid-section. She looked up at Gokudera, deep into his Paris green eyes. A light blush dusted her cheeks as she stood on her toes, pushing herself upward and placed a chaste kiss on Gokudera's cheek. She softly laughed to herself when she noticed that Gokudera loosened his arms around her. "I'll make sure to spend time with you guys more." She gently pushed him away. "Well then, please excuse me."

Gokudera's face reddened so much that he started to stutter in embarrassment. "Ye-Yeah… That's f-fine with m-me. I'll see y-you around th-then." He quickly bowed and returned to the direction of his bedroom, hoping that he left something there that he forgot which was unlikely. He suddenly stopped when he felt someone pull on his sleeve. "Jyuudaime…?"

Tsuna looked to the side but shyly looked up at Gokudera. "Thank you for telling me how you feel. Thank you, Hayato." She mumbled a good-bye and slowly closed the door with a smile.

Gokudera was left speechless but a burst of energy began to build up in him. He bowed to the door and grinned. "No, thank you, Jyuudaime."

Tsuna smiled to herself as she made her way to her closet. There was a content expression on her face as she recalled her Guardian's face.

Allowing her bed sheet to drop to the floor, Tsuna walked in front of the full-scale mirror with a slight frown on her face. Her upper body was wrapped in multiple bandages and there were several bruises peeking from behind the white bandages. She pressed her fingers against one of them and flinched at the subtle touch. The brunette sighed. It seemed like she has to ask Lussaria to come by sometime soon. She grabbed the workout clothes at the bottom of her closet and headed towards her bathroom.

She suddenly stopped and placed her fingers on her lips while a bright blush was present on her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, Tsuna tried to calm herself down. She closed her eyes and hung her head low. She thought everyone had begun to resent her but it turned out that they did not.

Tsuna glanced down at the glass cup filled with water and the pills that accompanied it. She took a deep breath and took the drink and pills down as she struggled to swallow them. There was a bitter expression on her face. The brunette looked down at her arms and sighed.

She was glad that the incident left no real visible scars on her body, such as dry, cracking skin or aging faster, but… The rate of her body healing was slower than usual; her body gave out more often, random jabs of pain were more frequent than before, headaches had become more frequent as well, but there was something that was worrying her the most.

She closed her eyes. There was something wrong with her flame…

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

I feel disappointed in myself. I actually had a lot more planned out. But I just could not get it onto paper. Plus, there's school... But for sure, there's going to be a Hibari chapter some time soon, just like what I did with Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Mukuro. After that, things should moving, well, that's what I keep telling myself, but I end up stretching the story out more. Ugh... I don't even know if my actions scenes are somewhat well-written. If not, then there's a change of how I write the following chapters.

I know it's been awhile and it looks like it's going to continue like this sadly... And to think senior year was going to be easy. But I'll try to update more often, since I want to finish this fic before I graduate. Anyway, thank you for reading and please review. I don't know when, but please look forward to the next chapter.


	18. The Cloud Disregards Her Concern

"Ugh…" The brunette watched as her maid shuffled through her drawers for a thermometer. "I'm sorry for calling you so late, Mira… I didn't think my body would give out." She complied when the French maid presented a thermometer near her mouth.

Mirabelle just sighed when she heard another groan from her mistress.

It had been only three years since she had been placed in charge of the Vongola Decimo's welfare along with her master, Elaine. How was she convinced to do such a lowly job as a maid with her skills, she would never tell.

"Of course, your body would give out, especially when you're staying up late, stressing over Dokuro-sama, and worrying about other stuff. Whose body wouldn't give out? If there was such a person, then he or she would not be considered human. It is all based on homeostasis. If I remember correctly, stress is one of the factors that can distort a person's homeostasis as well as their capacity to live. Stress can also lead to…"

Tsuna absent-mindedly nodded at Mirabelle's words, not wanting to offend the young female. Before Mirabelle became a maid, she was actually a specialist in the human body. The brunette could not remember if the maid was a scientist, a researcher, a doctor, or a combination of the three.

Mirabelle stopped talking and eyed the sick brunette. She was amazed how long this woman was able to live despite the dangerous substances swimming in her body. Her body should have broken down a long time ago if not for the assistance of Shamal's medication. It must have taken sheer willpower to continue through the pain. "Tsunayoshi-sama, you're not listening to me, aren't you?"

Tsuna flinched at the sharp tone in her maid's face. Ah, she got caught… The brunette flashed a meek smile before squirming in pain when a rolled up newspaper came down on her head. "Hieee… That hurt, Mira."

The maid just scoffed at her mistress's reactions. "Then, you should know better than to go beyond your body's limits." Sitting beside the brunette on the bed, Mirabelle pulled out a suitcase and rummaged through her many cases of medication for some medicine. "You're twenty-five now and in charge of a whole Mafia family. Please see yourself important as well. I know that you care for everyone, but to me, it seems as though you're ignoring your own problems by looking after others." Mirabelle looked at her mistress and her eyes darkened when the brunette smiled at her words. Mirabelle wanted to scold and punish her mistress so much for allowing such an attitude, but in the end, she could not. If that quality was to be removed, then the person before her would not be her mistress at all.

The brunette weakly smiled at her maid's sharp words. Yamamoto and Reborn had said something similar to her in the past. But it was so much easier taking care of everyone else than herself, since there were so many things going through her head that she felt like it was going to explode.

Wanting to wipe that sad expression off of her mistress's face, Mirabelle immediately switched the direction of the conversation. "Tsunayoshi-sama, I don't think you are well enough to work today or train with Hibari-sama. I'm sure that you can place Gokudera-sama in charge of the paperwork today. I will send someone to inform Reborn-sama as well. Please take this day to rest. The Vongola should be able to last a day without you if they have been able to survive for ten generations." The young maid gazed at her mistress and sighed when she saw the pout on her face. She took the thermometer out of the brunette's face and propped the Decimo against the board of the bed. "Your fever is pretty high, but it's not too bad… Here, the medication should help you rest a bit."

Tsuna hesitantly took the pills into her hand and swallowed it down with the aid of water. Handing the glass cup back to Mirabelle, Tsuna started to get out of bed. "No, I'm not going to rest yet. I'll leave the paperwork aside, but I'll train with Hibari-sempai. After that, I'll rest for the rest of the day. I won't even step outside of the room without you." Tsuna looked at her maid with a longing look. "Please, Mira?"

The maid glanced at her mistress from the corner of her eye and sighed. Running her fingers through her ebony black locks, Mirabelle gave up. She may be cold most of the time, but like Elaine, she had a soft spot for the brunette. Placing her hands at the side of her hips, Mirabelle began to list what Tsuna could and could not do.

Tsuna smiled at Mirabelle's concerns for her and nodded at the younger woman's instructions. She was so lucky to have two very competent maids. She would never know what she might do if they were not by her side. As Tsuna was about to get out of her bed, she felt a strong grip on her arm. Tsuna flinched at the touch since it was on one of her bruises, and looked up, only to meet Mirabelle's harsh ice blue eyes.

"Tsunayoshi-sama, even though Ella-san is currently unavailable to attend to you for the time being, I would like to remind you that I am under direct orders that I am to look after you in her place." Then a smirk appeared on the maid's face as she looked at her mistress. "I'm sure you don't want a repeat of what happened a year ago."

The brunette instantly paled at the memory. "I-I understand…" Tsuna slowly got out of bed and allowed Mirabelle to help her prepare for her training with Hibari.

Today was the last day they were going to train together. After these couple of weeks, she had been able to fight more evenly with Hibari, a fact she was proud of. That meant she was able to fight on par with most enemies even if she did not use her flames. In fact, she rather not use her flames at all. She had not used them ever since that failed negotiation.

A bitter smile adorned her face when she came across a thought as Mirabelle redid her bandages around her bruises. "Mira… I'm going to ask you a question, but you have to answer me honestly."

Mirabelle stopped moving at the sound of the request but continued to wrap her mistress's bruises. "Please continue."

"If I hid something important from you because I did not want to hurt you, however, you would eventually find out about it, how you would react?"

"Knowing you, I know that you would only hide it with the intentions of protecting me. However, if I do find out, then I would feel as if you did not trust me enough and would feel deeply hurt, but…" Mirabelle secured the wrapping with some medical tape, setting the scissors aside. Grabbing the t-shirt on the bed, she presented the clothing to Tsuna, looking her directly in the eyes. "It would take me awhile for me to forgive you, depending on the situation, of course."

Tsuna's face lost some color as an awkward smile appeared on her face. "You're right…" Tsuna quietly laughed to herself as she took the t-shirt and pulled it over her head. "Too bad then… I don't think I will be there when you're ready to forgive me." Tsuna noticed the slight shock in Mirabelle's face and decided it was best to leave. She inwardly cursed to herself when she let something that should not be heard slip. The brunette muttered a quick thank you and left the maid in the room.

Mirabelle looked at the spot where her mistress just stood. "Tsunayoshi-sama…" Her eyes narrowed when she remembered what Elaine had told her when she left. She clenched her fingers into a fist as she bit down on her bottom lip. "I did not follow you so you could end up leaving me."

* * *

><p>The raven-haired male watched the brunette's chest raise and lower as she laid spread out on the floor, trying to catch her breath. "Herbivore, get up. I'm not going to go easy on you even if it's the last day."<p>

Tsuna tiredly smiled. Her sempai was still acting the same despite the passing years. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Throwing her empty water bottle aside, she got back on her feet, struggling to continue. Her expression darkened when she felt the effects of the medicine wear off. She should be fine as long as Hibari did not touch her. If he did, then she would not know what he might do if he knew that she was running a fever. She was glad that they were currently training. If they were not, then he would start questioning her red face.

"There's something different about you today." Steel blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the brunette in front of him. She was acting unusual. Her eyes were especially glazed over and her stance had many opening unlike before. His face had a slight frown when he noticed that she was sweating faster and panting heavier. "Herbivore, don't mess with me or I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna just smiled in return. "I'm glad that you seem to care. I just excited to actually spend time with my aloof Cloud Guardian. I don't find a problem with that." Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she got herself in a more suitable position and started to attack Hibari.

He was shocked by her direct response, but he was somewhat amused that she was enjoying herself when they were together. Though, it did bother him time to time that she was taunting him more often. Maybe he was getting softer. He shook his head to rid of his thoughts. He had to be focused on the person in front of him right now. She was no longer that weak herbivore ten years ago. Blocking her kick with the side of his arm, he grabbed a hold of her foot and hurled her into the ground with no hesitation.

Tsuna closed her eyes upon impact, biting her lip as pain soared throughout her back. Her upper back had hit the ground first, but she was glad she was able to shift the rest of the impact on her shoulder as she skidded across the floor. The brunette then opened one eye and looked at the skylark. "Hibari-sempai, you really don't know how to hold back, huh?"

"You're the one who asked for this. You shouldn't be complaining." Hibari walked up to where the brunette was laying and looked down at her. Why did he follow such an herbivore? This was confusing him so much. He rubbed his temples as he bent down on one knee to help her get back up so they could continue, stretching out an arm for him to pull her up.

Sensing that her strongest Guardian had finally dropped his guard against her, Tsuna sprung up and pulled him onto the ground and rotated their positions so that she was now straddling his lap. She let out a small laugh when she saw Hibari's surprised look on his face for once in her entire life. She was amazed at the fact that Hibari could even make such an expression.

Straightening out his face into his usual scowl, Hibari glared at the woman pinning him down on the ground. Just how much strength did she have in that core muscle of hers? He could not get out of her grip, much to his displeasure. He growled as he continued to glare at her. "Get off of me, herbivore."

Tsuna ran her free hand through Hibari's raven tresses and sighed before pinning the man's hands above his head. "And what? Are you going to bite me to death, Kyouya?"

The Cloud Guardian was about to lunge forward at his boss but to his surprise, the brunette had firmly held his arms on top of his head with her own hands. "Don't provoke me, Sawada Tsunayoshi." Just how much strength did she have? Wait, something was definitely wrong. Her hands were oddly very warm…

Tsuna smiled, much to his annoyance. "Ah, you finally say my name. And here I thought you didn't even remember my name after all these years. You're always calling people herbivores or carnivores that I started to ask people if you had a slight memory problem. That and if you were a sadist like Reborn… I mean, you both love to fight and it's just plain crazy. Sometimes, I swear you think you have a fetish for people crying out in pain or something when you have that crazed face when they do." Tsuna smirked when Hibari relaxed below her despite her being annoying. So he did get soft after all.

"I do not have a memory problem. I just do not find it necessary to remember the names of herbivores when I consider them below me. There are exceptions though... And I am not a sadist." Hibari rolled his eyes when he noticed that Tsuna was glaring at him. "What, herbivore?"

"Hibari-sempai, weren't you an herbivore once? As an infant once, I'm sure that you did not have the skills to survive unlike the ones you have now. Don't say that every herbivore is below you. Look at who you're below now. Because of that cocky attitude of yours, you're not going to make it far in life. It's going to kill you one day." Tsuna's eyes narrowed when Hibari only glared at her in response. "You're going to end up kidnapped and you're going to end up killed since you keep underestimating them."

"I'll just bite them to death. I'm a carnivore after all."

"Hibari, you…" Tsuna tried to control herself. Why did she have to such a stubborn Guardian? Not even Lambo was this difficult to handle. Frustration and irritation build up in her throat. Frustrated, that she could not tell him… Irritated, that he was not taking her seriously…

"Don't speak to me about that unless you speak of experience, Sawada Tsunayoshi. I don't want some herbivore lecturing me on how I should defend my life." Hibari felt the grip on his arms loosen, but instead he felt a harsh slap across his face. He stared at the brunette wide-eyed.

Tsuna knew that she had reacted on impulse, but it did not mean that it did not hurt when she had to hurt one of her loved ones by her own hand.

"Kyouya, you disappoint me. Sometimes, I wonder why Reborn chose you and why I accepted you as my Guardian."

Hibari's body suddenly stiffened when he heard those words, though he tried to remain impassive to her words.

"But that's a topic for another time. Anyway, I'm a person just like you. I've been in front of you for the past ten years and you still can't tell that I am concerned for each and every one of my Guardians? Especially you, since you're the one taking on the most life-threatening missions."

"Hn." Hibari kept on telling himself that no such thing existed as he kept an apathetic face. He was not rooted to anyone or anything.

"If you're going to push aside my concerns for your own sake of pride, then go ahead." Tsuna suddenly grabbed a hold of the front of Hibari's t-shirt, pulling him up so they met to eye; her desperate eyes boring into his own.

"I don't care if you don't see me as a boss. I don't care if you ignore me. But there are only two things that I want from you." Her eyes slowly began to become red as frustration pent up in her throat, but she tried to keep a straight voice as she kept talking. "I want you to see me as your equal. I-I want to know if I can continue to rely on you." Her tears slipped off her cheeks and onto his face. She slowly placed him on the floor, resting her forehead on top of his chest. "I… I want to know if I can continue to believe that you will still be there for…" Tsuna's words trailed off when she realized that he was not taking her seriously. She was putting down her pride for him, for every one of them... Her eyes narrowed as she slowly removed herself away from him, removing her tears with her hands. "You're only going to ignore my words, aren't you?"

Hibari glared at her. "I'm not going to listen to some herbivore."

Getting back on her feet, Tsuna looked down at Hibari with disappointed eyes. She swallowed her words as she turned on her heels. "We're done today. It's a good thing today was the last day." Before she started walking, Tsuna took a quick glance at Hibari. "I was being serious, you know, but it's all up to you if you want to take my words to heart, Kyou-" Her vision suddenly blurred and the brunette staggered to the side, suddenly collapsing on the floor, leaving behind a shocked Cloud Guardian on the ground.

Hibari immediately snapped out of his daze and scooped the brunette into his arms, wondering why she had collapsed. He was shocked at how oddly warm her body was, but something else greatly disturbed him. That fact that she was breathing irregularly. At first, it was really fast, but now, it was barely there. He pressed his head against her heart, his eyes in shock when he heard a slow beat. Slowly, he called out to her, trying to wake her up or to get some response out of her.

"Herbivore, wake up."

Still, no response but the sound of distorted breathing.

"Tsunayoshi, wake up."

Still, the same response.

Hibari gritted his teeth, contemplating whether to call someone to get her or to bring her the infirmary himself. Releasing a low growl, he pulled her closer as he tried to control himself. Slowly, he got up on his feet and started to run to the infirmary with her on his back. Along the way there, the Vongola Cloud Guardian tried to convince himself that it was his unspoken duty to look after the herbivore, not out of concern.

And yet, he felt like he would be damned if he left her like this.

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

I find Hibari to be one of the hardest members to write. People who have personalities like him are hard to imagine what they would be like when they're older. Well, that's my case. I hope I didn't make him too OOC. And I introduce another OC, Mirabelle Blanc. She is an apprentice under Elaine and working under Tsuna as her second maid. What she does when she's not a maid will be revealed along with Elaine's backstory when I get to that point. She's there for a reason, so I'm going to flesh her out. There was a section that I wanted to include, but I took it out instead since it would mess up the flow of the chapter. I think it's a real coincidence that Hibari's chapter happens to be chapter 18. I wonder if anyone caught my reason as to why Tsuna considers Chrome as a mute swan.

I don't know when I might update next time, but I think sometime December around Christmas. Semester finals are around the corner but once I steer clear of those, I'm ready to write. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to your reviews since I love to hear people's input and it's great encouragement. Thank you for reading and please look forward to the next chapter.


	19. The Collisions Revolving Around the Sky

When the French maid caught a sight of the Vongola Cloud Guardian rushing through the halls, practically running through them, with her mistress on his back, she knew something had happened to the brunette and instantly called Shamal to rush over. The Cloud man was practically breaking his own rules so something was surely wrong.

Mirabelle was currently stationed outside the infirmary with her eyes either fixed on the floor or an occasional glance downward at the Vongola Lightning Guardian sitting against the wall to her left. She managed to restrain herself from glaring at people around them and kept calm. The thought of having to see those men in front of her just fueled her impatience to hear about her mistress soon.

Standing in front of her were several of the Vongola Guardians and the Sun Arcobaleno. The Cloud was leaning against a window, directly in front of her. The Mist stood the farthest of the right. The Sun Arcobaleno was leaning against to the wall diagonally from her left with the Rain pacing back and forth in front of him. The Storm was contained in his office, trying to push back the amount of work his boss had to do for the day.

The infirmary door finally opened, forcing several heads to turn toward the sound. To their surprise, it was not Shamal but Enma with Aoba Koyo, the Shimon Forest Guardian, following behind him. There was a dark expression in the Shimon head's eyes as he silently moved Mirabelle out of his way and continued walking down the hall without a word.

Koyo sighed and muttered something incoherent when he stopped in front of Mirabelle. He told her to continue to keep guard since Shamal was still not done checking up on Tsuna's condition. He looked over his shoulder and slightly frowned when he saw his friends' expressions, hidden or not. "Don't let anyone in and that means you as well as him." He pointed at Lambo and nodded in acknowledgement when Lambo slightly bowed his head in response. The Forest Guardian brushed past the Rain Guardian and the Sun Guardian, muttering about not being the only stupid one around here.

When the two Shimon males were out of sight, Hibari started to make his way toward the door but to his irritation, the maid was still positioned in front of it. "Move or I'll bite you to death." His eyes practically glowered with frustration and his tone revealed that he was not in the mood for games.

Mirabelle really wanted to scoff at the man's ridiculous way of trying to see his boss but held it in as she forced herself to calmly reply to him. "I cannot do that, Hibari-sama. Koyo-san has told me to keep anyone away since Shamal-san is still not done. I ask that you please continue to be patient until he is done and says that it is okay to see her." Seeing how the man still hovering and glaring at her, she tossed in a couple of rude remarks. "I also prefer that you keep away from entering the room, Hibari-sama. You practically have no medical knowledge and will only be nuisance if you enter."

"Kufufufu, you have quite a sharp tongue there." Mukuro grabbed a hold of Hibari's shoulder, restraining the man from doing something he might regret later. He earned a nasty glare but shrugged it off when he returned his attention to the maid. "May I ask for your name?" Mukuro was about to sway her with his charms but was taken back when the woman glared darkly at him. "Oya, aren't you someone similar?" If this maid was just like that other one, then she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

The tips of her lips slightly moved upward but nonetheless tried to keep a calm face, much to Mukuro's annoyance. "I see you have met with my master, Rokudo-sama. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am one of Tsunayoshi-sama's personal maids, Mirabelle Blanc."

Reborn was starting to get real agitated. First, it was that white-haired woman and his espresso. Now, it was this black-haired girl who had the guts to talk back to Hibari.

Yamamoto looked at his fellow Guardians and then at the maid. He had no idea what was going on, but it seemed like there was some bad blood between the two parties. He actually wanted to go in and ask Shamal if Tsuna was going to be alright, but he kept calm as he analyzed the situation instead of jumping into it. They were lucky it was just a fever this time. If she was at death's door, then by the looks of things, he and the others were going to fall apart one by one just like the domino effect.

Mirabelle closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, ice blue eyes glared at each man standing in front of her. "I will not move even if you forced me to. Go ahead and try to move me. I'll fight you to prevent you from even getting close to her. You'll only trouble Tsunayoshi-sama and Shamal-san even more if you go in there."

Yamamoto was about to speak up but Mirabelle had already beaten him to it.

"And, before any of you say that you have the right to see her since you're her Guardian, I would have consented even if Koyo-san told me not to. But for her to fall into this condition, I will not do so. You're supposed to protect her and yet you know nothing of what is going on."

Lambo quickly scrambled up onto feet and pulled on Mirabelle's arm, forcing her to look at him.

"Lambo?"

He pulled the woman close to him, whispering into her ear. "Mira-san, stop talking. Tsuna would not like if she saw you treating them like this and it is better not to speak. If you're getting angry by talking to them, please stop or something might slip out. If that happens, they're going to constantly bombard her with quest–!" Lambo suddenly felt the air blown out of him as he found himself flung across the floor with Reborn's gun pointed at his frontal lobe.

Reborn may have had his expression hidden under the shadow of his fedora, but Lambo could easily tell that the Arcobaleno was not playing around. The hitman had heard everything and wanted answers, now. "What are we not supposed to know, Lambo? Answer me or I'll shoot. This time, Tsuna is not here to protect you."

Fear quickly enveloped the Bovino's mind. He bit down on his lip as he stared at gun pointed at him. His eyes started to water, but he defiantly held them back. Lambo vigorously shook his head back and forth. "No."

Several eyes blinked at Lambo's proclamation as they watched the teenager stand up.

"No? Do you know who you're talking to?" Reborn was clearly taken back by the teen's startling bravery out of nowhere.

Lambo held his ground as his eyes met eye to eye to obsidian ones. "Yes, I do know who I am talking to and I'm telling you no. I pledge myself to Tsuna, so there is no way I'm going to betray her. As her little brother, I'm not going to throw away her trust to save my ass from the likes of you."

The other Guardians could not believe what they were seeing or hearing. Lambo, of all people, was actually glaring at Reborn and going against him, instead of cowering in fear and crying.

Mirabelle smirked at how Lambo reacted. The boy has really grown up from that time she found him crying in the storage room. Seeing how everyone was still frozen with shock, Mirabelle started to move away from the infirmary door, knowing that she had allowed them access to the room. However, protecting the Bovino was now her problem since she placed him there.

She was able to push Lambo back, making him fall onto his bottom, positioning herself in between the gun and Lambo while pulling out a gun, ready to shoot at any time. "Reborn-sama, I suggest you put your gun down. I do not want to shoot you, but if you prove to be a further threat to Lambo, then I will not hither."

Reborn glared at the woman in front of him. She sure had some guts going against him. "You do know that I can kill you before you can kill me, right?"

Mirabelle smirked. "I do know. I also know that I can be easily replaced by someone else since Tsunayoshi-sama is the only one who needs to survive. However, since I'm her maid, I know that she would not like it if I died for a stupid reason, such as her former trigger-happy tutor shooting me down just because I was protecting her Lightning Guardian."

The Arcobaleno let out a low growl. This girl was right. Tsuna would not want her family members to be killing themselves over her. But what was it that she wanted to hide from them that even he could not know about it? "Then, let me see Tsuna."

Mirabelle shoot her head and glared at Reborn, a frown adorning her face. "I'm sorry but I only serve Sawada Tsunayoshi, not the Vongola nor the Arcobaleno."

The Rain Guardian was so absorbed into the maid's and Reborn's talk that he did not notice Lambo until he saw those eyes narrowed at Reborn. He instinctively knew what was going to happen and ran toward Reborn, hooking his arms around Reborn's and pulled away from where he was standing. "Reborn, calm down. I'm sure that we're disturbing Tsuna by now."

Reborn was going to say something but stopped when he noticed the Rain Guardian's sharp tone. When his arms were loose, he rubbed them and looked at the spot where Yamamoto glanced at. To his surprise, there was a scorch mark. That could only be made by one person, one person only, Lambo. Taking a quick look at the teenager, his eyes narrowed when he caught a sight of horns and a pair of glaring eyes.

Lambo looked up at Reborn with cold eyes. He would not let a friend die in vain even if it was Reborn doing the killing. Sure, he had to run from the Sun Arcobaleno whenever he saw him, but this time, he was not afraid to go against him. Elaine, Mirabelle, and especially Tsuna held him in high regard and he was not going to disappoint them.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught everyone's attention. They were surprised to see Shamal lifted by his shirt by Hibari, not all of them though. "Um, can you let go of me? I know you want to see her, but I'm really not this comfortable with men so close to me."

Hibari released his grip on Shamal and glared at the man to continue talking.

Shamal rubbed his neck and looked at them. "Tsuna is currently sleeping right now, so I ask that you guys be quiet. Her condition is stable for now, but someone will be coming in sometime soon to help me get a more accurate read of her state. With that being said, I want everyone to stay away from here unless I permit it and now is not the best time to see her since her breathing was just restored to normal."

Mukuro was amused by the fact that the skylark used the confusion to get to the doctor before he could. Despite that fact, the illusionist was disturbed by the dark expression on Shamal's face when he came out before he was caught by the collar. He decided it was best to leave and ask questions later, vanishing with the mist in his place.

Yamamoto sighed. This was really too much for one day but at least Tsuna was resting now. A small smile appeared on his face. He could now relay this message to Gokudera. "Well, then. I'm going to go ahead. I'm sure Gokudera would want to know about this."

Reborn tucked his gun away into the pocket inside of his suit after glaring at Mirabelle and Reborn. "Don't think you can hide from me, Lambo." He left with Yamamoto in toll.

When Reborn was out of view, Lambo's face lost color so fast that Mirabelle thought had had died or something. He tried to get up, but his legs soon gave out. He still could not believe that he did such a thing, but he did not regret it one bit. Though trying to hurt Reborn was a step too far. Slowly, from all the shock and adrenaline, Lambo allowed his body to give out and collapsed on the floor.

Shamal looked at the Bovino teen and sighed as he picked up the brat and tossed him onto an extra bed in the infirmary. At least he was willing to do something for this brat. He got guts for standing up against Reborn.

Mirabelle took a deep breath before standing up. If it was not for Lambo, she would not know if she would still be alive. She had provoked Reborn quite a bit. Seeing that Shamal had allowed her to enter, only to see Lambo, Mirabelle took a seat near the passed out Guardian. She sighed as she pulled the white covers over him, patting him on the head in the process. "Good job, Lambo."

* * *

><p>The sight of Elaine crushing the phone with her bare hand instantly made Chrome take a couple steps back. She made a mental note not to anger the woman, since it looked like Elaine was about ready to kill anybody on sight.<p>

This got Chrome thinking though. Over the past couple of days, she could tell that her tutor was someone skilled in many forms of fighting. If they were not training and actually fought one another, she would have died many times already. There were times where she would see Elaine leave the apartment with a duffel bag in hand as if she had a separate job to do at night. The woman was not just a normal bodyguard-maid. With those kinds of skills, it seemed like she was more like a free lance assassin. However, Chrome thought it was best not to voice her thoughts about that subject until Elaine was willing to tell her past to her.

Elaine let out a string of curses when she placed the cracked phone in its original place. She had to remind herself to get a new phone or else she would not be able to get calls anymore, not that it mattered anyway. The two of them were not going to stay in this apartment any longer.

She looked over at Chrome and sighed as she went into her bedroom, bending down to get her suitcase under the bed. It looked like she had to go back to Italy, not that she minded, but there was the issue with Chrome. So far, Chrome had proven herself worthy of her title, but Elaine could see where the girl faltered in some of the requirements as well as an individual. To take her out of her training might actually regress the girl's potential.

"Ella-san, did something happen?" Chrome was leaning against the door frame, a bit hesitant to enter the room. She was wary of the possibility of the woman lashing out, but the last couple of days had taught her that she should speak up or else be tossed around back and forth like a sack of flour.

The white vixen stopped rummaging through her drawers, took a quick glance at her student, and resumed packing her belongings. "I'm going back to Italy." Before Chrome could speak, Elaine turned around pulled Chrome's suitcase and started packing her belongings. "And you are to stay here until further notice."

Chrome's eye widened. What? "Wait, I don't understand. What is going on?" Chrome looked at Elaine in confusion, but silence was her reply. Chrome bit her bottom lip and gripped the hem of her shirt. Taking a deep breath, she took a couple steps into the room with a resolve to get answers. "It has to do with Bossu, doesn't it?"

Elaine stopped moving for a moment but continued to pack Chrome's things by tossing them into a duffel bag. She did not turn around to face Chrome, not wanting to show the girl her frustrated expression. It was best to leave Chrome here. There was a reason why Tsuna placed her here, after all. "Yes, but you're not coming with me. You're going to be staying with someone else while I'm gone and they'll be the ones looking after you, so be good until I get back."

Chrome could not believe what Elaine was saying to her. Why did people think that she was just going to go along with what they say? She was a person, not some doll. Her violet eye darkened as she glared at the woman's back. "Ella-san, if that's the case, then I think it is better that I go with–!"

Elaine finally snapped due to the all the frustration and irritation building. Those buffoons were pushing her mistress to death's door and she was not there to whip their asses. She just got a phone call that her mistress was now in bed with a weakened condition and she had to find the fastest plane to Italy. Now, she had a stubborn little girl trying to prove herself.

The maid slammed her suitcase shut and tossed the zipped-up duffel bag at Chrome's feet, glaring at the girl in the process. "YOU THINK. Oh, now, you think." Elaine let out a laugh as she started walking up to Chrome, kicking the duffel bag aside and forcing the girl to back up into a wall.

"Chrome, you clearly can't think. For ten years, for one decade, everyone has been protecting you and trying to shield you from harm as if it was some duty. They make it so you can't show your potential, hindering your growth, and making you believe that you're not that special, that you don't deserve a place by them, all except for one person. Said person placed you in my care to bring you up into someone more confident and to prove those fools wrong. By going back, you're just going to go back to being that puppet."

Chrome could not believe what she was hearing. This person clearly did not know what kind of hardships she had to undergo to get where she was today. All that training, all those years trying to improve and polish her skills, she had done that all on her own. "Just because they think I need protecting, does not mean that I need it. Anyway, I am not a puppet. I do have a soul. I do have will of my own. I am my own individual. Just because I let others walk over me before does not mean I will let them do that to me now. No one controls me. No one can take my spot. I repeat no one can take back what I have achieved on my own with my own skills and effort."

Elaine scowled at the rebelling illusionist. "You're being delusional. Chrome, if you ever thought like that, then why don't you tell the others that you can manage on your own? Why are you constantly trying to prove yourself when you already have a spot?" Her expression grew darker with each passing second as she closed in on Chrome's face, staring straight into her eye. "Don't think just because you've gotten stronger that I'm going to let you go back to Italy."

Chrome's fingers curled into fist. Why were they talking about her when it was originally about Bossu? "Stop changing the subject. I deserve to know what kind of condition she is in. Before she is my boss, she is my family. I will not shield my eyes and ears to the pain of someone I look up and respect."

Elaine's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

Chrome nodded, not knowing she was clearly walking straight into a trap.

The maid harshly pulled Chrome's chin toward her face, glaring into those orbs now filled with fear. "If that's what you think, then does that someone include you, Chrome? You say you will not shield your eyes and ears to someone's pain, does that include yourself?"

Chrome could feel her resolve dissolving at a fleeting pace. What was Elaine trying to say?

"If I remember correctly, you questioned yourself if you may have caused problems for Hime. You were questioning yourself as to why Hime let you beside her. You thought it would be better if you could be assigned elsewhere instead of being by her side, since you were only a nuisance. You actually thought of leaving and going somewhere like Japan since you might actually be of better service to her here. So, tell me, Chrome. Why is it that you want to go back to Italy even though you've received your wish of going to Japan?"

Chrome's eye widened. "H-How did you know about that?"

Elaine laughed at Chrome's shocked expression as she leaned in to whisper into the girl's ear. "I can read whatever is on your face, my dear. It was quite clear of what you were thinking about."

The violet's resolve cracked into pieces but she had to keep a hold of herself. She did not want to show her weak side to Elaine. She had to show that she was now a strong person who can stand on her own two feet. "I–"

"I what?" Elaine looked at Chrome's face scrambling for answers and her scowl slowly falterer into a simple frown. Removing her hand from the girl's chin, she watched as the illusionist sank to the floor. "You're not ready yet. Stay here until Hime calls for you."

Chrome just wanted to break down and yell at the world and mainly at herself. For so many years, she has allowed this persona to be pieced together when it was clear that she had changed. But why… Why did people still think she was someone who could not protect herself?

The Mist Guardian grabbed onto the wall for support as she got back on her feet, her bangs hiding her face from Elaine. "W-What if I don't want to return?" Her eye widened at her own words. Did those words actually leave her mouth?

Elaine's eyes narrowed, not believing what she heard. "That's a question you have to find an answer to by yourself."

Chrome looked at Elaine with shock still evident in her eye, realizing her mistake.

Elaine left no room for anymore discussion. She took the suitcases and heaved her duffel bag over her shoulder, signaling Chrome to get hers on the ground and left the room in silence.

The car ride to their destination was quiet one. Elaine had a frown on her lips while Chrome looked out the window in a daze, not knowing what to do or say. When the car stopped in front of a certain house, Chrome's eye widened. "I'm staying here?"

Elaine groaned as she got out the car and started taking Chrome's things out of the trunk, placing them on the side. "Yeah. Why?" The maid ignored Chrome when she flinched at her harsh tone. "You don't like here? If not, you can always go back to your mother's house. You can just go back to being just 'Nagi'."

Chrome could feel herself trembling at the mere mention of her mother. Her eye dropped to the ground as she heard the engine ignite. She slowly picked up her stuff and started moving toward the door bell.

"Chrome."

The violet stopped moving and dropped her things to catch the envelope was suddenly thrown at her. "What is this?"

Elaine sighed when she saw the girl's dejected expression. "Think of it like a gift before I leave. I don't regret what I said to you, but maybe I should not have been so upfront about it. Just think over what I said and look into the envelope when you get a chance."

Chrome just looked at Elaine, a silence apology between the two. "Thank you… I think I needed that though. I guess there are still some questions I have that need answers."

Elaine sported an awkward smile. She was really not good with expressing her concern for others. "Chrome, while I'm out of the country, take your time to answer this question."

Chrome really wanted to just get into the house, since she was still confused about her feelings. "What is it?"

"What is it that _you_ want to do?"

* * *

><p>Levi watched as Enma and his boss took their time staring at whatever was in the room while sipping the crimson-colored wine in the glass cups. The Varia Lightning Guardian moved forward and refilled their cups and took a spot behind his boss's chair.<p>

Enma smiled in thanks and took the cup, placing it on his lap. A sigh was drawn forth as the redhead looked at the table in front of him. "I'm so tired…"

Koyo looked at his boss through his glasses while he rubbed his temples. "Tch, you were screwed ever since you fell for the Sawada brat. You were the one who pulled yourself into it even though everyone was against it."

Xanxus scoffed at the Shimon Guardian's remark as he took another sip. They were screwed the moment they met her.

Enma let out a choked laugh when he saw Xanxus's expression change. "You're right, but I don't care. If I'm going to end up dying early because of her, well, I'll gladly open my arms to welcome death."

Koyo sneered at his boss's reply. "Ew… You don't have to go that far, lover boy. No one is against it anymore, so don't go hitting the dirt before us."

Levi let out a cough, catching the Shimons' attention. "Um, would this meeting be the usual? Would you like it if I gather the others?"

Enma nodded. "At the same time, please call Lambo as well. Tell him to be careful though. I hear Reborn is still out for his blood, so tell him of that passage. He should know how to get here by that."

The Varia head sneered at the mention of Lambo. "You're jerking my leg. That piece of trash should not even be a Guardian."

Enma shook his head as he motioned Levi to hurry along, watching the gruff man leave the room. "He has already pledge himself to Tsuna and what he did today proves that he deserves to know what's going on. He's going to have a role in this whether he likes it or not. Same thing goes for Mammon. It seems like you've told him."

"Tch, have it your way, then." Xanxus said no more and resorted to slumping into his seat, planting his legs on the table as he took a sip from his cup.

* * *

><p>Silence was wrapped around the four individuals in the Sawada living room.<p>

Niel just stared at the ground as Nana wrapped her arms around his trembling figure, pulling him closer to her body.

William could not believe his ears, looking at Bianchi and then at Nana for confirmation. "Shamal-san personally told you this, Nana-sama?"

The brunette slowly nodded, trying to force a smile even though her lips were quivering. "That is correct. Tsu-chan is…" Nana spoke no more and pulled Niel closer to her, placing her head on top of his.

Niel looked up at her with sad eyes. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her chest, trying to prevent his cries from being heard.

Seeing that the living room was no longer a place to discuss the subject any further, Bianchi motioned William to follow her out of the living room and into the backyard. She slid the glass door shut behind her and leaned against the support of the patio as William sat down. "Is there anything you want to ask?"

William turned around and looked into the house with a shrug. "I wouldn't even know what to ask." He noticed several people were missing. "Does Fuuta-san and I-Pin-san know of this? Does Tsunayoshi-sama's friends know of this?"

Bianchi shrugged as she took a seat beside William. "I don't think they know. I don't even know if Mama is going to tell them when they come back. From what I know, Iemitsu does not know but she plans to tell him when he comes back. Mama is taking this pretty hard, especially after learning her family has been involved in the Mafia a couple years ago…" That was a horrible memory. The sight of Nana's smile cracking and her lips quivering broke her heart.

William nodded and he fumbled with his fingers. "Is this why Tsunayoshi-sama started to seek out children?"

Bianchi stopped looking at the ground and looked at William with a confused look. "What? I never heard of that. Hayato has never mentioned anything about her doing that."

The butler bit his lip before proceeding to speak. "I see… What I'm going to tell you, you can't tell your brother."

Bianchi nodded. She loved her brother, but if it was something Tsuna went as far to hide it, then she would keep her lips sealed.

Moving his body to face her, William looked at the Poison Scorpion with serious eyes. "From here on out, I will tell you what Tsunayoshi-sama has been up to with her low-key activities in Japan as well as other countries. She has been going around, seeking alliance with other families, forming stronger bonds with the ones she has now, or just plain looking. By doing that, she is aiming for one goal in mind."

Bianchi nodded, signaling her understanding. With that kind of condition, Tsuna must have planned something for the future of her family if something worst was to happen to her.

"By doing this, she is looking for children, not just any children though. These children have to resemble the traits of the Vongola or something of the like. Even if they are not chosen by her, they have been sent to the Institution to be educated or to be trained. It's a neutral area, so no families are to fight each other unless permitted."

Bianchi's eyes widened. Why would Tsuna go that far…? The girl was only twenty-five. It was not as if she was going to resign her position to someone already. Something clicked in her mind, making her eyes widen even further. That could mean one thing. "Then, that means she's–"

"She's looking for the future Vongola Undicesimo's Guardians."

Bianchi looked at the person who stumbled into hers and William's conversation. "Niel? How would you know that?"

Niel awkwardly smiled despite the tears running down his cheeks. "Because I'm one of them."

* * *

><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Well, that's done. I'm so glad that's done with. Now, I have time to study for finals. It's going to be a busy week. I think I managed to include almost every character that has been mentioned in the story so far. (Pat on the back for me.)

I feel really bad for Chrome, but it's a wake-up call for her to think. I don't even know what's going to happen next, but I hope it doesn't fail your expectations.

Um, I have a question for all of you. I was wondering if I were to temporarily "unite" Tsuna with her Guardians, should it be individual chapters or just combined? I feel like if it's individual, it would be longer to post but it's centered about one person. However, if it's combined, then it will be easier to write future chapters, since I don't have to create a basic outline for the individuals. It's all up to you, so tell me what you think. I've put up a poll, so think about it.

Thanks you for reviewing and reading. It helps you when people comment on your work. Please look forward to the next chapter.


	20. The Sun Rages as the Sky Sleeps

Xanxus was the first one out the door the moment the meeting was dismissed. He disregarded the yells of protest of his Guardians and just kept on walking. The Varia head made his way to the infirmary, not caring if he knocked into anyone who happened to cross his path.

His red eyes narrowed when he approached the infirmary door. There was a presence he did not recognize in the room and it was close to the brat. Slowly, he opened the door with a hand hovering over one of his guns.

When his eyes caught sight of the supposed intruder, he was surprised to see a woman. However, he hid it under a blank expression but he could not help but feel slightly apprehensive because she resembled a certain marshmallow freak.

"If you're going to come in, I suggest you close the door. I'm sure you don't want the others to know that you're here."

Thae Varia boss scowled at her tone but eventually turned around to close the door. He then walked over to where the Vongola Decimo was lying and sat down in a chair next to the window. He plotted himself in the seat, crossed his arms across his chest, and leaned back against the wall behind him, all while eyeing the woman in front of him.

He could tell that this woman would not harm the brat but that did not ease the anxiety in his chest. If she was who he thought she was, then she was a dangerous person to deal with.

"So how was the meeting?" The woman got up from her seat and brought her hand to brush aside loose strands of hair on the brunette's face. "From what I heard, Lambo is partaking in the meetings now and you told Mammon about her, right?"

Xanxus stiffened in his seat as he focused his gaze on the woman sitting across from him. How did she know about the meetings? Only people in the brat's inner circle knew about them. "Who the hell are you?"

The woman just smirked at Xanxus's farce. "It just irks you that you don't know who I am despite the fact that you fully know who I resemble."

Xanxus shot a glare. His hands ached for the guns tucked under his belt but he resisted the temptation. "Don't test me, trash. I'm actually putting an effort to be civil since the brat is lying on her sick bed. Just try pushing my limits and I can't say I'll be keeping my word."

The woman clearly looked amused even though she tried not to laugh by covering her mouth. "Well, I apologize for acting towards you, Xanxus-sama." She turned in his direction and lowered her head in respect. "My name is Elaine Turvenion, but call me Ella or Touko. To answer your question, I'm simply one of Hime's maids."

"Like the hell you are and what is with the –sama shit? From the way you talk, I know you're not someone who'll lower their head so easily."

Elaine lifted her head and shrugged as she relaxed in her seat, placing her weapon back into its sheath. "I'm a two-faced shady character, who is a natural born hypocrite. I believe people are born bad and grow up to be good. That's why it's so easy to be evil and so difficult to be good, though there are some exceptions to my philosophy." Her eyes trialed down the sleeping brunette but she turned her attention to Xanxus.

Xanxus almost barked in laughter but chuckled softly at her answer. He went back to crossing his arms and loosened his tense muscles. He watched as the woman glanced at him before returning her attention to the brat, as if she was a predator protecting her young.

The Shimon brat had told him about another woman being the brat's maid but he did not expect someone of this character to be by her side.

"To be honest, I was surprised to see it was you who came to see her first. I was sure your Guardians or Enma would be first." Elaine fixed the blanket on her mistress's body, making sure it was kept at a moderate temperature or else the fever would come back.

Xanxus let out a snort. "Just because I like the brat now, it does not mean I'll tolerate what trash like you have to say. Anyway, if you know about the meetings, I can assume you know what's going on in that brain of hers, right?"

Light lavender eyes darkened to a certain degree but Elaine kept a calm composure. "I know what she's up to... most of the time."

"Then you should know that the longer she stays here, the more suspicious those worthless pieces of trash are bound to get." Xanxus's eyes lit up in amusement when he heard her utter a string of curses.

Elaine looked at Tsuna, sighing. "I guess I have to take back what I said about you. You're better than those buffoons she keeps around even if you're trigger happy." She dug her hand into her pocket, fumbling around for a specific object. "Do you think you could carry her back to her room?"

Xanxus glanced at her and then at the brat. "You better get your eyes checked, trash." He bent down and scooped the sleeping brunette into his arms, carefully placing her head in the crook of his arm. "Are you coming or what?"

Elaine looked up at Xanxus after placing on a ring. "What's this? You need someone to walk you to her room?"

Xanxus bit back a growl as he made his way to the door. "I'm not a child, pipsqueak. If you can't see, both of my hands are occupied. Unless you want me to sling her over my shoulder, then I'm with that."

The white-haired woman shot Xanxus a glare as she got up from her seat and headed for the door. "It couldn't hurt to ask for help."

"Ha, over my dead body."

Elaine blinked in amusement before following Xanxus out the door. "I think I'm going to like you."

Xanxus gave her questioning look before shaking his head back and forth. "I'm not some stupid pet."

"I'm just telling you that you're on my good side. I mean, who wouldn't want to be on Nue's good side?"

Xanxus stopped walking and watched as Elaine kept on walking. "It's official. I was screwed the moment I met the brat."

Elaine shrugged as she turned around, waiting for Xanxus to catch up. "I don't know about that. I mean I've seen you change, but you're still the same bastard that shoots anyone who dares insults you or the Vongola. I have to say that you were granted a fortunate curse. Simple as that."

Xanxus smirked as he walked alongside Elaine. "How the hell did she find you?"

Elaine's eyes became soft as she continued walking. "That's a story for another time."

* * *

><p>The moment the men entered the room, they were slightly taken back by the two women positioned beside the Shimon head. Few of them recognized the white-haired woman while others recognized the black-haired woman. The only thing that bothered some of them was the murderous look on the former while the latter remained stoic but bits of murderous intent could be felt.<p>

Enma sighed to himself and looked out the window from the corner of his eyes. His eyes softened when one of the people he saw waved at him. He muttered something into the ear of the white-haired woman, who scowled in return but nodded. He made his way toward the door with his Guardian, Mizuno Kaoru, following closely behind.

Surprisingly, it was Lambo who spoke up after Enma left the room. "Ella-san, I thought you were not coming back until Tsuna-nee called for you." He took the seat between the two women, deeming as the safest seat in the room for now.

Elaine smiled as she ruffled Lambo's hair. "Well, after Enma called me about Hime's collapse, I had to come back."

Lambo nodded at her answer and scooted his seat near Mirabelle since he had an idea that a fight was going to play out between his sister's two former instructors and he was right when the two made eye contact.

"What are you doing here, Turvenion?" His hand was itching for the gun hidden his coat pocket, but the sight of the other maid told him he would end up hearing her snappy comments, so he decided against it.

Elaine rolled her eyes at Reborn's so-called tantrum and placed her legs on the table. "Are you deaf or something? I just told Lambo why I was here. However, I am interested on how you're getting along without my espresso."

The hitman growled in irritation but proceeded to take his seat with the others following his actions.

If he knew that this woman was going to be here, then he would have ordered security to toss her out on sight. Ever since that incident with Lambo, everything that has happened grated on his nerves to a dangerous degree. He was honestly like a ticking time bomb waiting to implode on someone. Speaking of Lambo, the hitman shot the cow a glare before making himself comfortable in his seat.

Lambo swallowed a gulp of air, inwardly praying to the gods that he would come out alive.

The Storm Guardian was clearly confused when he gave his fellow companions a questioning look before shooting his counterpart a glare. "What the hell happened while I was out?"

The Rain Guardian awkwardly scratched the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. "I actually don't know where to start."

Gokudera sighed as he placed his forehead on the table. He could foresee that this was going to be a very angry meeting. He then placed his cheek on the table and eyed the two strange women. One eerily looked like Byakuran while the other looked familiar. He sat straight up when those blue orbs were looking at him coldly. "Blanc?"

Mirabelle's eyes narrowed as she gazed at the Storm Guardian, who hesitantly broke eye contact. "I see that you're the same as ever. Though I'm surprised that you're not pushing daisies because of all those cancer sticks you stuff in your mouth, Hayato."

Gokudera fumed at her remarks but did not do anything to rebuke it. Something else was bothering him, Hibari and Mukuro. Those two, for once, were not at each other's throat and were actually being tame even though they were three seats away from each other. He could feel something ominous was going to happen.

The doors were suddenly slammed open as an individual with questionable characters strutted in. "Why, hello, everyone. I see you're all being boring as always."

"Byakuran-sama, I don't mean to be rude, but that is no way to treat the members of a family you're allied with." Mirabella sighed when the man smiled at her.

Byakuran eyed the men in the room and tilted his head to the side, sighing. Why did Tsu-chan want to be with these people? He would never understand a maiden's heart. "Oh, yes. Where is my Tsu-chan? I came to visit her. I also brought a surprise with me…" Byakuran looked behind him and was rather disturbed that the person was not next to him. "Oya… I swore she was just behind me."

"Byakuran-san, I believe you left her at the entrance when you heard Tsuna was going to hold a meeting today. Sadly, I have to inform you that she's resting in her room."

The Gesso head turned around at the sound of the deep voice and smiled when he saw the person come in with two others. "Enma-kun, I forgot to say thanks when you went out of your way to greet us. You know how I get when Tsu-chan is mentioned and look, you brought Uni-chan with you."

Reborn straightened himself in his seat and was not amused to see the young girl walking into the room, placing herself next to the dangerous man. "Uni, I thought you were in Japan and where's Gamma?"

Uni bowed in respect before speaking. "Byakuran told me that he was going to visit Tsuna-chan, so I tagged along. Gamma is currently at the villa where we're staying at until the mission is over."

"What mission?" Elaine looked at her brother and knew he was up to no good again.

"Ah, yes, that reminds me. Thank you for mentioning that, Uni-chan. Kikyo and Bluebell are unavailable at the moment, so Uni-chan and I will be acting Tsu-chan's back-up during her mission with her Cloud Guardian." Byakuran answered gleefully as if he was looking forward to a field trip.

"I bet you blackmailed the two into letting you take their assignments." Elaine rolled her eyes when her brother pouted at her, but she knew it was a better choice if Uni and her brother played back-up since they were both powerful but the two attracted a lot of unneeded attention.

"El-chan, that hurt. Where have I gone wrong when I raised you? Why don't you ever come home to visit me and the others? I'm always thinking of you." Byakuran ran up to his younger sister and pulled her into a hug. His eyes caught sight of the hairpin in her hair, making his eyes soften. "But seeing you like this makes Onii-chan happy, so you don't need to visit if you don't want to."

Elaine wanted to gag the moment her brother had his arms around her, but hearing his last line made her wary. Usually, her brother begged her to come up until she threatened him at gun point. Did syomething happen? She knew she was not going to get any answers from her cryptic brother, so she just patted him on the head until he let go. "You want to see Hime, right? Mira will take you two to her room. I still have some business to take care of before I can meet up with you."

Byakuran gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before walking away. "Well, that's alright with me. There's no need to rush. Have fun, everyone."

Uni giggled at her friend's antics as she followed him out the door with Mirabelle at her side.

Enma sighed as he closed the doors before taking a seat that was previously Mirabelle's.

Kaoru positioned himself behind his boss, looking observant as always.

"Since both Xanxus and Tsuna are out for the mean time, I'll be in charge of this meeting. I know that Reborn should be the one leading this meeting, but I thought it would be best if I played the neutral role," Enma stated calmly.

Reborn sank his seat as he forced himself to calm down. "That's fine with me. So what is this meeting about?"

"Whether Tsuna goes on the mission or not."

"I'm not going on the mission with the herbivore. I don't need someone who is going to collapse on the job and become extra baggage," Hibari stated curtly.

There was slight surprise in Elaine's eyes but from what Enma told her over the phone, the Cloud Guardian would not want to endanger the brunette's health any further, since he was likely the cause that pushed her to her collapse. "Hime had ordered the destruction of the Estraneo and I know she's not the type of person who does not follow through. I talked with Shamal and he says she'll be fine for the mission tomorrow and it's too late to find a replacement by now."

Reborn took a deep breath before speaking. "I understand what you're trying to say, but Tsuna has to take care of herself and rest. We cannot risk her collapsing again on the job. Her life is our main priority."

"That is not my priority but yours. Mine is to honor her wishes and this is what she wants to do. Also, she has my brother and Uni as her back-up. If any problem occurs, I'm sure they'll take care of it."

"I have to agree with the Arcobaleno. A broken toy does not need to be broken any further."

Elaine glared at Mukuro but kept a calm expression. "Even a broken toy can be fixed."

Yamamoto understood where the white-haired woman was coming from but he understood what his fellow Guardians and Reborn were trying to say. "You were Tsuna's teacher before, right? The one who taught her what Reborn could not?"

Elaine's eyes narrowed at the question. "What about it?"

"If you're the one who taught her, couldn't you go on the mission instead? I'm sure you would be more skilled since you were the one taught her."

Elaine let out a sigh as she placed her feet on ground. If she was going to make an argument, it was better if her legs were off the table. "I have other affairs I have to attend to in Japan. I would have taken her place, but from what I could, the Cloud Guardian and I would not make a convincing couple." That and the issue with Chrome was something she had to take care of before it got out of hand.

Lambo just remained quiet. He already knew too much from the meeting he attended last night. He could not risk making another mistake like last time.

"Gokudera-kun, what do you think? You've been quiet for some time. I'm sure you want to say something about this subject." Enma had noticed that the Storm Guardian was being abnormally quiet. Usually, when it concerned the welfare of his boss, Gokudera would be the first to be against it if it brought harm to his boss.

The Storm Guardian had a frustrated expression on his face before pointing to Elaine. "I have to agree with what she is saying. No one but Jyuudaime is qualified to go on that mission with Hibari. There is no one else. Even if we do find a replacement, I doubt Hibari will work well with them."

Elaine was clearly surprised but she did not show it though a small smile did appear on her face. Something must have happened between her mistress and the Storm Guardian while she was gone. Elaine did not know what it was, but the Storm Guardian appeared to be more trusting of his boss's skills than the others.

Reborn's eyes darkened when he heard Gokudera's answer. He did not think the Storm Guardian would be for it. Honestly, he thought he would be against it. "I still forbid it. I will not allow a former student of mine to enter what may become a dangerous situation."

Elaine's face hardened when she heard those words being uttered. "I can't believe what I'm hearing, Reborn. I thought it was not true, but you've gone soft over the past decade."

"What are you trying to say, Turvenion?"

Elaine got up from her seat and looked down at the Sun Arcobaleno in disappointment. "Do I really have to explain it to you? What happened to your sharp mind? Has it finally gone dull?

For goodness's sake, Reborn, we're in the goddamn Mafia, the Mafia. It's kill or be killed. There's no protect or be protected. If we were talking about Dino, then you would not have hesitated this much. Are you even listening to reason anymore? I think you're too wrapped up in your emotions to even see straight anymore. I know you care about Hime, but she's no longer that girl that first started out ten years ago. She's a woman who can protect herself and a boss of a powerful organization. Stop trying to convince yourself otherwise and this goes to all of you."

The Guardians suddenly felt uncomfortable in their seats. Before any of them could speak up, they were interrupted by a knock.

It was Mirabelle. There was a grim expression on her face. "I hate to intrude, but I require your assistance with a couple problems outside."

Elaine wanted to say more, but this issue was more important than knocking some sense into a couple of buffoons. "Where are the intruders located and how many of them?"

"They're currently lurking in the outskirts on the mansion. Most of them are entering through the forest. There's approximately twenty of them." Mirabelle was not surprised to see her mentor open up a window. It was the fastest way to the forest after all.

"Mira, you go first, I still need to do a couple more thing before I can follow you." Elaine watched as her student nodded in understanding before jumping out the window. She looked at the men in the room before taking an envelope out of her jacket, tossing it on the table. "I wanted to see how far I could with my argument so I didn't take this out until now. No matter what you say, Hime is still going on that mission. After all, you can't deny your boss's order, right?" And then, she was out of the window.

Reborn got up from his seat and snatched up the envelope from the table, ripping it open and scanning its contents. His eyes flared in anger as he crushed the letter in his hand. He walked up to Lambo and grabbed the teenager by the neck. "You knew about this, didn't you? Tell me. What is Tsuna up to that she's not telling us?"

From experience, everyone knew that it was never a good idea to anger Reborn.

Yamamoto was going to say something but dangerous glint in Reborn's eyes stopped him. The Rain Guardian was just praying that Lambo was smart enough to answer Reborn's question.

Lambo was started to struggle to breath due to the fact his supply of oxygen was being cut off. "I-I'm not t-telling you. I s-swore myself t-to T-Tsuna-nee and I-I'm n-n-not go-going to b-back a-away from m-my w-w-word." Lambo tried to pry Reborn's hand off his neck, but his vision was starting to blur.

"Idiot, stop talking!" Gokudera wanted to help the youngest Guardian, but he was afraid of facing Reborn's wrath. However, at this rate, it looked like Lambo was actually going to die. It did not take long to kill someone by strangling, since it cut off the person's air supply to the brain if done effectively.

Reborn let out a snarl as he threw the Bovino back into his seat. His eyes narrowed at the marks around the teenager's neck but paid no heed to it as he made his way to Enma. "You're in on this as well, aren't you?" Before Reborn could take another step, Kaoru appeared in front of Enma.

Instead of giving up, Enma got up and placed a hand on his Guardian's shoulder. "I'll handle this, Kaoru. Thank you, but I think Lambo is in more need of protection than me. Can you please take him to the infirmary so I can check up on him later?"

Kaoru hesistantly nodded as he moved around Reborn and got Lambo on his back. "I'll see you later then."

Enma nodded and watched as his Guardian left the room. Then he turned his attention onto Reborn.

"So?" Reborn had never been this angry. Not only did that woman talked to him as if she knew everything, which he highly thought she did, but there were too many secrets being kept without his acknowledgement.

"To answer your question, it's true, but I know better than to fight you one-on-one, Reborn. Even if you try to get the answer out of me through force, you're not going to get one. All I can say is that Tsuna is looking out for her family in more ways that you can imagine. I suggest you reflect on what Sensei said before you end up doing you'll regret for the rest of your life and that goes to all of you as well." Enma looked at his friends before nodding. "Well then, the meeting is adjourned. Tsuna will be going on the mission with Hibari. So, please take care of her."

Hibari scoffed in response as he watched the redhead leave the room. He then turned to the former infant, waiting for his reaction.

When Reborn no longer saw Enma's figure, he angrily kicked the table in front of him, breaking a piece of the wood off. "Do any of you know what the hell is going on anymore?"

When no one responded to him, the hitman snarled in irritation. "That's it. It's time that I start tutoring her again."

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><p><strong>EXTRA NOTES:<strong>

Oh my gosh, I'm done. I'm finally done with Chapter 20. It's not my best work, but I'll deal with it.

I apologize if there were some choppy sentences. It's been awhile since I've written seriously so I'm still trying to get the hang of it. I have to apologize to my readers for being away for so long. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it. I'm still going to update until I head off for school in a couple months, so expect a steady run of updates. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I would love to hear what you have to say and please look forward to the next chapter.


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